HUMANITY 

AND  THE 

MYSTERIOUS  KNIGHT 


BY 
MACK   STAUFFER 


BOSTON 
THE   ROXBURGH   PUBLISHING   COMPANY 

INCORPORATED 


Copyright,  1914, 
BY  MACK  STAUFFER 

All  rights  reserved 


THE   COLONIAL   PRESS 
C.   H.    SIMONDS   CO.,    BOSTON,   U.  8.  A. 


DEDICATED    TO 
MY   BROTHER-IN-LAW 


TO   WHOM   I   HAVE    BEEN 
GREATLY    INDEBTED. 


328257 


INTRODUCTION 

WE  are  now  in  a  phase  of  rapid  and  unprece- 
dented development.  The  conditions  under  which 
we  live  are  changing  with  an  ever  increasing  rapid- 
ity, and,  before  the  end  of  this  century,  sky- 
scrapers will  rise  above  the  cloud-line  and  lose 
themselves  in  the  firmaments ;  the  Fast-Express 
will  be  supplanted  by  the  Pneumatic  Tubing  Sys- 
tem, and  passengers  will  be  carried  at  the  rate  of 
a  mile  per  second.  Great  inventions  will  solve  our 
industrial  problems.  And  mammoth  syndicated 
farms  will  have  for  their  domain  one  or  several 
states. 

The  achievements  of  this  century  will  dwarf  the 
achievements  of  the  nineteenth  century  as  those  of 
the  nineteenth  dwarf  those  of  the  eighteenth.  One 
can  see  signs  of  the  change  everywhere,  and  the 
rush  of  it  increases  as  time  goes  ever  onward. 

Everything  we  see  is  evidence  of  this  progress 
of  a  kinetic  reorganization  of  society  beneath  the 
traditional  appearance  of  things.  We  are  in  march- 
ing order,  and  have  struck  stride  forever  on  the 
broad  road  of  human  possibilities. 

As  we  go  onward  humanity  will  experience  no 
shock,  no  epoch-making  incident,  only  minor  dis- 
turbances in  the  dense  populated  streets,  while 
making  its  gradual  and  well  formed  transition. 


VI  INTRODUCTION 

Insensibly  we  are  as  yet  in  the  aurora  of  this  new 
day. 

The  past  is  but  the  beginning  of  a  beginning  — 
a  dream  before  the  awakening.     As  we  are  but 
still  the  simple  creatures  of  the  present  dawn  we 
cannot  now  see  what  this  new  world  or  day  will  be 
like. 

Geniuses  will  come,  who  will  see  us  in  our  little- 
ness —  know  us  better  in  that  distant  to-morrow 
than  we  know  ourselves  to-day  —  and  who  will 
comprehend  this  future  that  now  defeats  and  baffles 
our  reason. 

This  world  is  but  the  promise  of  greater  things. 
A  period  will  come,  in  the  unending  succession  of 
periods,  when  giant  intellects  —  intellects  who  are 
as  yet  inconceivable  in  our  thoughts,  shall  saddle 
this  earth  as  one  saddles  a  horse,  and  shall  shout 
and  wave  their  hats  with  glee,  as  they  gallop  out  to 
corral  the  stars. 

As  far  as  our  knowledge  goes,  no  sort  of  crea- 
tures change  themselves,  and  as  our  planet  swings 
through  space  it  enters  new  heavenly  areas  that  has 
existed,  maybe,  before  this  world  was  an  unborn 
satellite  and  still  in  the  womb  of  the  Sun.  It  is 
following  in  the  wake  of  the  trails  that  were  swept 
by  other  worlds  ten  thousands  of  centuries  ago. 
And  as  mind  is  the  great  power  of  the  universe 
and  what  has  once  been  thought  and  done  remains 
for  ever  as  an  influence  from  those  unknown 
worlds  of  pre-historic  times  —  what  was  thought 
then  —  has  been  left  in  space  to  influence  other 
passing  bodies. 

Our  world  is  now  possibly  entering  into  one  of 
these  areas,  or  strata  in  space,  and  the  impress  of 


INTRODUCTION  Vll 

the  thought  of  that  period  may  be  involuntarily  in- 
fluencing our  whole  method  of  thinking. 

At  any  rate,  this  aetiology  is  as  good  as  any  for 
the  curious  and  perturbed  frame  of  mind  of  the 
whole  world  to-day.  Whatever  the  explanation, 
the  effect  exists,  and  it  becomes  necessary  to  meet 
the  condition,  to  analyze  it,  and  to  formulate  rules 
for  its  guidance  and  its  just  expression  in  law  and 
procedure,  and  to  restrain  it  within  the  bounds  of 
reason  and  sense,  else  it  may  develop  into  a  wild, 
crazy  stampede  ending  in  the  destruction  for  the 
time  being  of  modern  society. 

However  the  impress  of  this  story  prevails  from 
the  heterogeneous  development  of  our  commercial 
tendencies  into  the  financial  domination  of  one 
man,  or  one  big,  powerful  syndicate,  which  reaches 
its  culmination.  Then,  its  struggle  to  maintain 
and  to  hold.  Of  such  is  the  character  of  this  work, 
and  if  it  is  bombastic,  juvenilistic  and  crudistic,  it 
also  tries  to  be  an  admonition,  finely  but  inoffen- 
sively conveyed. 

The  time  of  this  story  can  be  placed  as  far  in 
the  future  as  the  reader's  imagination  will  permit, 
but  it  can  be  applied  to  this  day,  as  it  has  sanguine 
kinship  to  the  present  trend  of  events,  and  is  but 
a  glimpse  of  a  certain  period  of  progression,  as 
civilization  advances  into  the  remotest  days  of  dis- 
tant time. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


HUMANITY  AND  THE 
MYSTERIOUS  KNIGHT 


CHAPTER    I 

NEWMAN'S  PESSIMISM 

"IT'S  coming  —  coming,  as  sure  as  fate!"  ex- 
claimed Newman.  His  face  was  ebullient  and 
phrenic.  He  acted  as  if  he  were  breaking  out  of 
some  wild  delirium.  And,  in  madness,  as  if  giving 
vent  to  his  desperation,  he  tried  to  break  the  dis- 
traction. His  sudden  paroxysm  revealed  to  the 
young  Octopus,  who  now  closed  the  switch  that  cut 
off  their  communication  with  the  clerical  depart- 
ments, and  kicking  a  lever  with  his  patent  French 
boot,  that  kept  them  in  tact  with  the  outside  world, 
that  some  mad,  moody  thoughts  were  creating 
phantom  devils  in  his  aged  secretary's  brain. 

"  Nonsense,  Newman,  don't  be  a  quitter,"  an- 
swered the  young  man,  rising  from  his  plushed  seat 
and  going  over  to  his  secretary  who  was  still  re- 
clining in  his  chair;  his  eyes  closed  and  head  bent 
until  his  massive  chin  touched  his  large  chest.  He 
sat  as  if  he  had  been  felled  by  some  blow  and  was 
hors  de  combat,  and  was  ready  to  give  up  his  ideas 


2  HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

and  himself  without  a  struggle.  "  Nonsense, 
Newman  —  don't  be  a  quitter.  Don't  be  a  quitter," 
he  said  cheeringly,  with  his  ungloved  hand  on  the 
shoulder  of  the  old  veteran  fighter. 

"  No  use  —  no  use.  They  are  millions.  We  are 
but  a  few.  How  long  do  you  think  we  could  last? 
No  use  —  no  use,  boy !  It's  coming  —  coming  as 
sure  as  fate !  "  he  answered  gloomily. 

"  Mr.  Newman,  your  pessimism  and  fatalistic 
outlook  is  mythical.  -Come  out  of  this  monomania. 
The  zenith  —  " 

"  Yes,  the  zenith  has  been  reached,"  he  broke  in 
with  a  taint  of  sarcasm  in  his  voice.  "  The  forces 
of  nature  fell  before  us  like  blades  of  grass  before  a 
scythe.  But,  there's  one  force  that  defies  us  still  — 
Man !  He's  a  thinking  animal !  " 

With  a  cynical  sneer  in  his  face  the  young  man 
answered : 

"  Men  are  but  rounds  in  the  ladder  on  which  I 
step  and  climb.  If  animals  they  be,  they  are, 
nevertheless,  very  dumb  —  for  I  drive  them !  " 

"  It  is  coming  — "  continued  Newman  in  his 
fatalistic  way. 

"  What  is  coming  ?  Tell  me.  This  ranting  and 
raving  congeals  my  blood!  Explain  yourself. 
Out  with  it,  Newman.  I  never  saw  you  act  this 
way." 

"  A  strike !  —  strike,  my  boy.  A  strike  that  will 
make  all  other  labor  troubles  look  like  a  sprinkle 
compared  to  a  deluge.  It's  coming.  I  feel  it.  I 
hear  it.  I  breathe  it  —  "  he  paused,  his  face  more 
gloomy  —  "  and,  I  know  it !  " 

"  Nonsense,  Newman !  A  strike  means  a  famine, 
stagnation  and  death.  Stop  the  activity  of  this 


3 

mammoth  corporation  in  any  one  channel,  and  it 
would  make  civilization  in  this  country  as  barbarous 
as  the  jungles  of  Borneo,  and  the  cry  of  the  starving 
would  become  one  miraged,  horrifying  scream.  I 
don't  agree  with  you.  Attack  the  Consolidated 
Farm  and  Development  Co.,  in  any  one  of  its  vast 
departments  and  it  strikes  back  like  a  boomerang 
with  equal  vengeance.  Our  workmen  and  the  pub- 
lic at  large  ought  to  know  —  " 

"  Know !  "  expostulated  Newman.  "  Do  you 
think  that  mass  —  that  mob  —  called  humanity 
thinks?  They  are  like  cattle,  locoed,  and  a  stam- 
pede is  inevitable.  I  can  see  our  present  society 
tossed  about  on  the  horns  of  mad  bulls !  " 

"  Your  picture  is  dismal  enough.  If  you  hadn't 
partly  reared  me  I  might  have  cause  to  doubt  your 
sanity.  This  sudden  outburst  is  without  warrant." 

"  Warrant !     Then  you  haven't  heard?  " 

"  I  have  not  heard  —  that  is,  I  have  not  heard 
that  which  would  make  me  look  at  the  situation 
with  such  pessimism." 

"  You  haven't  heard  from  the  South  ?  the 
North?  the  West?  At  this  very  moment  the 
reapers  within  twenty  miles  of  this  office  will  be, 
or  are  now  silent  —  silent  as  the  grave.  Rain  is 
forecast.  Not  a  single  wheel  will  turn  in  all  of 
this  industry." 

"  And  you  tell  me  this  ? "  the  young  man  an- 
swered, his  face  a  little  agitated. 

"  That's  the  message  from  the  Enter-State  de- 
partments. I  questioned  every  available  source  be- 
fore I  dared  to  tell  you.  Everywhere  I  inquired 
I  received  the  same  answer.  However,  I  could 
have  left  it  to  the  office  force  to  tell  you.  Now  — 


4  HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

I  ask  you  to  excuse  my  brusqueness  —  as  this  is 
not  a  time  for  any  display  of  diplomatic  strategy ; 
and,  for  which  I  have  no  particular  hunger.  Un- 
derstand, I  might  have  broken  the,  news  more 
calmly;  but,  agitated  as  I  am,  I  had  no  time  to 
grope  for  words  that  would  show  a  more  equanim- 
ity of  mind." 

The  young  man,  Cleve  Clevendor,  did  not  an- 
swer. His  mind  was  too  perturbed.  His  dream 
had  come  to  naught.  Ten  years  he  and  Newman 
had  pushed  the  C.  F.  &  D.  Co.  to  its  now  present 
zenith  without  a  hitch ;  paying  assistants  large 
salaries  —  which  were  considered  fabulous  — 
compared  to  the  wages  paid  to  the  laborers  in  the 
cities.  They  had  made  many  enemies;  they  had 
forced  the  small  individual  farmer  out  of  business ; 
they  had  cheapened  land  and  all  agricultural  prod- 
ucts. Indeed,  so  cheap  were  these  products  no  in- 
dividual farmer  cared  to  compete  with  them  in  the 
market. 

They  were  assailed  by  county  papers,  bucolic 
preachers,  and  by  the  voice  of  men  everywhere. 
Indignation  meetings  were  held.  Legislators  made 
laws  against  them.  They  were  referred  to  as  the 
"  Land  Monsters,  Arch-Criminals,"  and  the  great- 
est "  Foe  "  of  civilized  man.  In  a  few  years  they 
had  demonstrated  to  the  world  that  they  were  not 
monsters,  but  benefactors.  Yes,  they  had  forged 
their  gleaming  rods  and  steel  rails  over  conquested 
lands  and  states  just  the  same  and  had  followed 
them  with  huge  granaries,  power-houses,  mills  and 
everything  necessary  to  production,  distribution 
and  consumption. 

This   great   business   began   in   the    spring   with 


NEWMAN  S    PESSIMISM  5 

the  dull  tilling  of  the  soil  and  ended  with  the  mu- 
sical hum  of  cycles  and  the  metallic  chant  of  cot- 
ton-pickers; doing  the  work  in  farming  industry 
that  it  took  millions  of  individuals,  with  the  mule, 
horse  and  steam  plow  to  do  (which  implements  are 
now  delegated  as  lost  arts  in  the  museums  of  an- 
tiquity and  causing  the  establishments  where  these 
tools  were  manufactured  to  be  closed,  with  broken 
windows  and  rooms  fit  only  for  the  habitation  of 
bats).  Yes,  they  were  not  monsters  —  but  bene- 
factors, and  the  world  would  yet  learn,  he  thought. 

"  It's  an  outrage !  An  outrage,  Newman !  "  ex- 
claimed the  young  rrian,  his  face  showing  pain. 
"  You  know  we  have  barely  made  two  per  cent,  on 
our  investment.  It  has  been  my  hobby  to  be  a  bene- 
factor to  the  masses.  We  have  brought  prices 
down  so  low  on  agricultural  products  that  it  pro- 
duced much  wonder  and  astonishment.  And  — 
when  I  hold  the  destiny  of  millions  in  my  palm  — 
they  defy  me.  They,  the  people,  whom  I  feed. 
Yea,  it  is  true,  they  would  smite  the  hand  that 
feeds  them  —  they,  the  millions,  I  employ  and  give 
work." 

"  Yes,  my  dear  boy/'  replied  Newman.  "  Look 
at  the  many  millions  you  have  driven  into  the  con- 
gested cities  to  find  employment,  who  before 
were  living  peaceable  in  their  hamlets  and  villages ; 
husbanded  their  industry;  loved  their  neighbors 
and  worshipped  their  God.  Their  daughters  are 
now  in  the  cities,  in  houses  and  places  that  for 
decency  I  will  not  call  by  their  right  name.  Their 
sons  in  the  penitentiary  and  are  criminals  —  or, 
they  themselves  tramps  or  dying  of  that  new  and 
incurable  disease,  that  the  medical  fraternity  calls 


6  HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

by  some  unpronounceable  combination  of  Greek 
and  Latin;  but  ,  in  plain  unmitigated  English,  is 
nothing  but  starvation." 

"  Newman,  you  talk  like  a  '  Muck-raker,' "  an- 
swered the  young  man  wearily. 

"  I  suppose  you  have  never  thought  of  the  fact 
that  with  the  price  of  one  hour's  work,  these  people 
you  mention,  can  buy  back  what  it  took  three  to 
six  hours  to  buy  before." 

"  Yes.  And  who  in  the  hell  is  to  furnish  that 
one  hour !  "  returned  Newman.  "  True,  the  C.  F. 
&  D.  Co.  has  benefited  the  wage  workers  in  the 
city;  because  the  Consolidated  Farm  &  Develop- 
ment Co.  has  not  thrown  any  of  them  out  of  em- 
ployment; and  the  wage  workers  have  been  bene- 
fited by  this  great  reducton  of  the  prices  of  neces- 
sities, maintaining  their  pay  for  labor  based  on 
former  high  prices.  Now,  since  the  C.  F.  &  D.  Co. 
has  been  able  to  produce  these  necessities  so 
cheaply  it  has  been  a  great  benefactor  to  them. 
But,  it  has  played  hell  with  the  agriculturists'  pros- 
pects the  world  over.  True,  in  the  C.  F.  &  D.'s 
conquest,  it  has  accomplished  wonders.  It  brought 
the  value  of  land  down  —  to  where  you  could  buy 
it  almost  for  a  song.  It  also  brought  forth  the 
curses  of  both  the  Landlord  and  Real-estate  dealer. 
It  curtailed  further  operations  of  the  Real-estate 
dealer,  and  the  accelerating  activity  of  his  thriving 
business  suddenly  found  its  decapitation  in  the 
sway  of  humming  cycles;  and  the  exploitation  of 
the  tenant  by  the  landlord,  terminated  in  the  land- 
lord's further  exploitation,  but  left  the  tenant 
without  a  job  or  a  place  to  lay  his  head,  or  a 


NEWMAN'S  PESSIMISM  7 

master  to  feed  him,  and  the  landlord  without  con- 
tribution. 

"  In  a  word  it  was  confiscation  —  robbery !  The 
bare  way  to  state  it.  The  C.  F.  &  D.  robbed  the 
real-estate  dealer  of  the  suckers  he  caught.  It 
robbed  the  agriculturist  of  a  market  for  his  prod- 
ucts; robbed  the  laborers  of  their  jobs;  it  robbed 
the  farmer  of  a  means  of  making  a  living.  It  was 
confiscation  —  robbery !  " 

"  Mr.  Newman,  your  head  may  be  level,  but  your 
talk  on  this  is  very  puerile  and  unreasonable.  Of 
course,  where  there  is  so  much  power  and  strength 
some  are  bound  to  be  hurt.  The  incongruous  are 
first  to  go.  By  the  natural  law  of  development,  so 
unsuited,  the  C.  F.  &  D.  has  only  weeded  out  the 
unfit.  The  Landlord,  Speculator  and  Manufac- 
turer, what  are  their  losses  compared  to  the  great 
good  we  have  done  for  the  masses?  If  their  busi- 
ness is  the  old  and  antique  way,  it  is  nothing  more 
than  the  law  of  the  game,  and  it  is  no  fault  of  ours 
if  they  are  put  out  of  business.  It  only  proves 
their  uselessness  in  this  world  and  they  should  die ! 
While  the  C.  F.  &  D.  may  have  driven  the  yaps 
and  yokels  into  the  cities,  it  has,  also,  been  an  in- 
strument in  pushing  the  onward  march  of  civiliza- 
tion into  the  advancing  ages  of  time,  and  it  will 
continue  to  go  on,  for  that  matter,  until  the  day  of 
reckoning,  when  the  clear  sounding  notes  of  the 
bugle  shall  resound  in  the  last  reverberating  echo, 
the  words,  '  Well  done/ ' 

"  Bombast ! "  uttered  Newman,  with  a  faint 
critical  sneer.  "  I  have  no  criticism  to  offer,"  he 
continued,  "  on  what  you,  or  we,  have  accom- 
plished. I  will  concede  that  a  master  mind  saw  it 


8  HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

all  and  planned  it;  and,  I  will  add,  this  master 
mind  did  it  for  his  own  glory,  as  well." 

The  young-  man's  face  flushed.  Was  it  the  truth 
his  secretary  spoke,  or  was  his  criticism  indecorous  ? 
While  there  had  been  a  wonderful  freedom  of 
speech  between  them  it  had  never  developed  into 
disapprobation.  He  had  never  spoken  to  him  so 
uncomplimentary.  However,  he  knew  of  New- 
man's revolutionary  ideas,  but  this  did  not  matter 
so  long  as  there  was  no  immediate  danger  of  them 
being  put  into  execution. 

"  John  Ruskin  said :  '  Arts  are  never  right  unless 
their  motive  is  right,'  "  Newman  advanced. 

"  Ruskin  was  an  old  fogy,"  answered  Clevendor. 
"  He  was  an  artist,  a  dreamer,  and  had  his 
thought  in  the  sky  all  the  time.  Ruskin  said  some 
good  things  —  so  did  Solomon.  We  are  not  mould- 
ing conditions  of  to-day  to  the  past.  History  does 
not  repeat  itself  any  more  than  does  man  revert 
back  to  a  particle,  enter  again  into  the  mould  and 
is  reborn." 

The  audible  sounds  of  footsteps  and  the  intona- 
tion of  voices  from  the  reflectorscopephone  (a  ma- 
chine that  caught  the  sights  and  sounds  from  the 
streets  below),  told  them  that  many  people  were 
collecting  around  the  office  building. 

"  A  visit  this  morning  from  the  grievance  com- 
mittee." 

"  I  can't  see  the  cause  of  it,"  answered  the  man. 
"  I  presumed  the  C.  F.  &  D.  was  running  smoothly 
enough,  and  our  only  excitement  in  breaking  the 
monotony  of  clerical  routine  was  battling  with  the 
courts  and  legislators;  but,  on  these  scores  we 
have  whipped  them  to  a  finished  —  frazzle  —  as 


NEWMAN'S  PESSIMISM  9 

once  said  a  man,  when  he  was  punching  his  New 
Nationalism  into  the  phlegmatic  brains  of  the  Op- 
posing Bosses.  Are  you  sure  it  is  the  Strikers' 
grievance  committee  ?  " 

"  Sure !  It's  the  order  of  the  day !  "  answered 
Newman. 

"  It  was  just  the  other  day  we  increased  our  em- 
ployees' wages  without  any  demand  being  made  by 
them.  They  are  the  highest  salaried  working  men 
for  their  particular  work.  We  have  given  the  in- 
dividual farmer  employment  who  could  not  make 
a  living  in  competition  with  us  farming  the  old 
way.  In  the  past  we  have  been  handicapped  be- 
cause we  had  more  places  for  unskilled  labor  than 
men  to  fill  them.  Think  of  it,  Newman !  " 

"  True  at  first,"  answered  Newman ;  "  but  not 
the  case  now.  At  the  start  of  this  vast  empire  of 
land,  it  took  many  thousands  of  unskilled  mechanics, 
but  this  time  has  now  passed.  The  C.  F.  &  D.  has 
cornered  the  land;  harnessed  the  forces  of  nature. 
Where  it  did  not  rain  your  huge  canals,  running 
north  and  south  like  they  say  they  do  on  planet 
Mars,  made  green  vegetation  grow  where  no  man 
dared  to  sink  his  plow.  With  your  gleaming  rails 
and  polished  girders  you  have  woven  the  nation 
into  one  network  of  cold  iron.  While  measures  of 
mowing  cycles  and  clanging  notes  of  steeled  ma- 
chinery make  one  metallic  chant  from  the  Icy 
North  to  the  Sunny  South.  The  West,  with  its 
Rockies,  yet  defy  your  conquest  and  is  unwilling 
to  become  your  captive.  The  East  is  yet  to  be  con- 
quered and  shivers  at  your  approach.  But,"  said 
Newman,  pausing  after  his  oratorical  flight,  "  since 
this  foundation  has  been  laid,  there  is  no  employ- 


10         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

ment  for  this  army  of  unskilled,  only  in  sundry 
cases.  The  artisans  and  skilled  mechanics  are 
striking  because  we  have  let  the  thousands  go.  I 
understand  they  have  a  woman  leader,  from  the 
city,  and  beautiful  —  some  have  told  me  —  as 
'  Helen  of  Troy/  She's  a  Joan  d'Arc  of  the  move- 
ment. Her  operations,  so  far  clandestinely,  are 
confined  to  her  class ;  but,  now  she  stands  with  an 
army  of  proletarians,  who  are  educated  to  their 
needs. 

"  While  they  are  in  a  sense,  cattle !  —  they  are 
mad  bulls  to  cause  a  debacle  in  society  on  which 
you  or  I  will  not  ride  unless  it  is  on  the  tips  of  these 
goring  animals'  bloody  horns." 

"  Your  picture  is  vivid,  Mr.  Newman,"  said 
the  young  man,  unmoved.  "  I  feel  no  danger.  If 
they  cause  us  to  shut  down  —  to  stop  the  wheels 
of  our  industry  —  we  will  make  a  stench  in  the 
cities !  " 

"  You  will  starve  the  nation !  "  cried  Newman, 
with  a  look  of  horror. 

"  No  —  I'll  destroy  it,"  he  voiced  without  pity  in 
his  face.  "  I'm  determined  to  do  my  best  for  it. 
We  have  done  the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest 
number.  If  we  are  harangued  by  some  she-ad- 
venturess, I'll  see  the  nation  in  the  throes  of  starva- 
tion, before  I'll  give  in.  We  can't  destroy  the 
land,  but  I'll  see  to  it  that  it  will  be  bad  for  the 
people's  existence  for  a  few  years,  anyway.  We 
can  cause  a  disturbance  which  no  class  wants.  I 
defy  them !  "  he  continued,  as  his  fighting  blood 
surged  to  his  face. 


CHAPTER   II 
THE  STRIKERS'  COMMITTEE 

AFTER  the  usual  proceedings  for  visitors  to  gain 
access  to  young  Octopus's  office,  the  grievance  com- 
mlittee,  which  consisted  of  three  men,  was  ushered 
in.  They  were  a  bit  nervous  but  appeared  deter- 
mined. 

Suddroff,  the  spokesman,  and  apparent  leader  of 
the  committee,  was  the  well  recognized  leader  of 
the  Pitdweller  forces  the  country  over.  He  had 
given  the  Clouddwellers  many  nervous  chills  before. 

The  huge  and  ugly  scar,  on  his  right  temple,  ex- 
tending almost  from  his  ear  until  it  hid  itself  under 
the  disheveled  hair  that  fell  unkempt  on  his  massive 
brow,  which  he  used  to  good  advantage  when  pro- 
claiming his  fidelity  to  the  Pitdweller  cause,  was  his 
greatest  asset. 

In  a  bold  manner  he  started  the  proceedings 
without  an  introduction,  seeming  to  shun  such  pre- 
liminaries. With  a  contemptuous  sneer  on  his  lips 
he  stated  their  demands,  which  were :  "  Shorter 
hours,  so  as  to  restore  those  out  of  employment." 

During  the  foregoing,  Cleve  sat  at  his  desk  un- 
interested, and  heard  the  Striker's  demands  with 
very  little  sympathy. 

Newman  answered :  "If  we  should  grant  what 


12         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

you  ask,  it  would  be  equivalent  to  us  going  into  our 
pockets  and  handing  you  the  money.  It  will  mean 
that  we  must  charge  proportionally  for  our  prod- 
ucts; or,  in  other  words,  make  the  people  in  the 
cities  pay  for  what  you  want.  This  means  we 
must  tax  the  people  for  the  products  they  must 
have  in  order  that  you  may  get  your  demands. 
Now,  we  can  make  the  day  shorter,  but  if  so, 
you  must  pay  back  for  what  you  buy  on  the 
same  increase.  Of  course,  if  the  present  prices 
were  to  remain  the  same  for  the  necessities  of  life, 
and  we  were  to  grant  this  concession,  you,  and  all 
the  rest  of  the  people,  would  receive  great  benefit. 
But,  just  at  present  the  Consolidated  Farm  &  De- 
velopment Company  is  not  proposing  to  run  at  a 
loss." 

"  This  industry  has  barely  paid  a  dividend  on  our 
investment,"  he  went  on.  "  It  is  only  folly  for  us  to 
entertain  the  idea  of  such  an  innovation." 

"  Then  you  refuse !  "  cried  Suddroff,  with  large 
beads  of  perspiration  on  his  forehead,  which  was 
unusual  for  this  cool  September  day. 

"  We  do.  Decidedly,"  answered  Newman.  "  We 
have  tried,  and  —  " 

"What  do  you  say  about  this,  sonny?"  asked 
Suddroff,  speaking  bluffingly  to  Cleve,  his  small, 
black  eyes  gleaming  cruelly. 

"  Mr.  Newman  speaks  for  the  Company,"  said 
Cleve,  meeting  Suddroff' s  advance  coolly. 

"He  does,  eh?" 

"  Mr.  Newman  speaks  for  the  C.  F.  &  D.  I  have 
nothing  to  discuss  with  you.  You  are  not  even  an 
employee  of  this  concern,  therefore,  I  do  not  con- 
sider you." 


COMMITTEE  13 

"But,  I  speak  for  them! "  he  returned  fiercely. 

"  If  so,  we  do  not  recognize  you  or  them.  We 
have  nothing  to  grant  that  we  have  not  given," 
said  Cleve  convincingly,  turning  abruptly  to  his 
desk. 

Suddroff,  turning  to  Newman :  "  I  see  we  can't 
gain  anything  by  talking  to  that  young  up-start. 
You,  perhaps,  can  best  settle  this  matter?" 

"  I  meant  to  say,  when  you  interposed,  that  we 
have  tried,  and  in  many  instances  have  accom- 
plished the  purpose  we  have  had  in  view.  For  an 
illustration,  my  dear  sir,  where  would  your  present 
price  of  commodities  be  if  the  old  method  of  farm- 
ing was  the  only  force  in  the  agricultural  life  to- 
day?" 

"  Go  on,"  said  Suddroff  wearily. 

"  I  say  there  would  be  starving  in  the  cities  —  " 

"  That's  the  case  now,"  put  in  Suddroff. 

"  And  you,  of  this  committee,  would  be  tramping 
many  weary  miles  behind  plows,  for  the  small  —  " 

"  For  the  return  of  those  good  old  days,  every 
lover  of  liberty  cries,"  shouted  Suddroff  fiercely. 

"  And  now  you  obtain  for  only  a  few  hours' 
work,  and  easy  work  at  that,  your  necessities  for 
many  weary  days  to  come." 

"  Yes.  That's  what  this  committee  is  here  to  do. 
It  wants  to  give  all  the  poor  devils  a  chance  to  get 
work  to  live.  What  you  say  would  be  right,  if 
every  poor  fellow  had  a  job.  There  are  millions 
starving !  " 

"  The  whole  idea  is  very  inconsistent.  Utopian- 
ism.  I  will  not  consider  your  demands.  I  have  a 
sense  of  duty  to  the  laboring  classes  of  the  cities, 
whose  condition,  at  present,  is  the  concern  of  the 


14        HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

world,  and  not  the  class  whom  you  are  supposed  to 
represent." 

"  They  have  received  your  sense  of  duty,"  voiced 
Suddroff  in  sarcasm. 

"  This  proposition,"  said  Newman,  with  a  wave 
of  his  hand,  "  there's  nothing  to  it.  If  you  and 
these  gentlemen  with  you,  have  the  power  to  order 
a  strike  we  can  meet  it.  The  C.  F.  &  D.  controls 
the  world  necessities,  and  all  that  you  have  to  sell 
is  labor.  There  are  millions  of  you  knocking  at 
our  doors  ready  to  sell  their  labor  for  much  less 
than  we  are  now  paying.  We  have  so  far  discour- 
aged them,  because  we  want  to  be  fair  to  those 
who  have  helped  us  make  this  the  largest  organiza- 
tion in  all  the  world." 

Suddroff  gave  a  deep  sigh.  His  companions 
squirmed,  but  maintained  their  reticence.  Cleve 
looked  amusingly  at  Newman,  and  suspiciously  at 
Suddroff. 

"  If  you  carry  on  this  strike,"  continued  New- 
man, "  we  do  not  lose.  Suppose  we  should,  we  can 
gain  it  back;  because  the  loss  of  so  much  of  the 
world's  production  means  that  a  premium  must  be 
placed  on  what  is  left.  Therefore,  the  higher  the 
price  for  our  commodities  and  the  greater  the  de- 
mand for  our  machinery  to  run.  You  will  not  re- 
ceive any  sympathy  from  the  cities.  They  will  con- 
demn you  for  making  them  pay  higher  prices. 
Hence  more  starving.  We  might  arrange  a  profit- 
sharing  plan  ?  " 

Suddroff  smiled  cynically.  "  For  that  we  have 
been  asking." 

"  The  larger  end  of  it  ? "  asserted  Newman 
coldly.  "  I  merely  suggested  this  unique  scheme, 


THE  STRIKERS'  COMMITTEE  15 

'hoping  that  the  re-incorporation  of  the  C.  F.  &  D. 
along  these  lines  might  solve,  to  some  extent,  our 
industrial  problem." 

Suddroff  listened  while  Newman  went  on  to  ex- 
plain. 

"Under  this  arrangement  the  Company's  stock 
could  be  increased,  issued  and  known  as  the  first 
preferred,  which  would  at  present  bear  8  per  cent, 
accumulative  dividend.  We  will  agree  that  when 
this  Company  earns  more,  enough  to  pay  the  divi- 
dend on  the  first  preferred  stock,  and  has  taken 
care  of  depreciation  and  other  like  charges,  the 
surplus  is  to  be  reinvested  in  the  business  and  an 
industrial  nontransferable  stock  will  be  issued  to 
represent  it.  This  stock  to  have  a  par  value,  upon 
which  we  can  agree  later,  and  the  shares  to  be  dis- 
tributed among  the  Company's  principal  employees, 
pro  rata  with  their  salaries,  as  a  reward  for  zeal 
and  faithfulness  to  the  Company." 

"  Impossible !  "  Suddroff  uttered.  "  This  propo- 
sition binds  us  to  work.  We  don't  like  the  profit- 
sharing  plan.  It  is  only  a  new  scheme  to  ward  off 
what  is  bound  to  come.  We  cannot  accept  this 
plan  in  any  of  its  phrases.  I  have  stated  our  wants 
and  —  " 

"  We  care  for  no  further  discussion,"  interposed 
Cleve.  "  You  preach  the  doctrine  of  Mobocracy. 
In  your  brutal  way  you  try  to  bluff  us  into  accept- 
ing this  unreasonable  proposition.  This  is  my  ulti- 
matum! Leave  or  be  thrown  out." 

The  other*  two  members  of  the  committee  started 
to  go,  but  Suddroff,  his  face  flushed  with  anger, 
apparently  did  not  want  to  take  his  leave  in  such  an 


16         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

undignified  manner ;  or,  at  least,  until  after  he  had 
paid  his  respects  to  the  young  Octopus. 

"  Young-  man,  I'll  not  go  until  I  have  to  some 
extent  revenged  the  cause  I  represent.  This  insult 
can't  be  forgiven  until  I  have  had  the  physical  satis- 
faction." 

With  these  words  he  made  a  move  to  carry  into 
execution  the  threat.  As  he  advanced,  Cleve 
pushed  a  small  button,  and  instantly  from  the  very 
walls  sprang  big,  powerful  guards,  who  grasped 
Suddroff  and  his  comrades.  They  were  ejected 
from  the  building  without  further  ceremony,  and 
before  they  had  time  to  realize  what  force  had 
ejected  them. 

Newman's  piercing  grey  eyes  met  his.  "  You 
did  right,  my  boy/'  he  said.  "  Suddroff  wishes  a 
revolution.  He  wants  to  become  a  Robespierre, 
and  he  would  make  this  country  one  bloody  marsh. 
He  has  the  deluded  idea  of  being  a  benefactor  to 
the  Pit.  He  is  the  propulsion  of  this  movement. 
For  some  cause  this  woman  and  the  old  man  with 
her  were  not  with  the  committee.  I  have  heard 
of  the  woman,  as  it  has  been  stated  to  me,  that  you 
were  not  responsible  for  the  conditions,  that  the 
C.  F.  &  D.  was  an  improvement  over  the  past 
method  of  farming,  just  as  the  Fast  Express  was 
over  the  Ox-cart  and  Stage  Coach,  as  our  Tubing 
System  is  over  the  Fast  Express.  The  old  German 
(the  old  man)  shares  the  same  view.  This  woman, 
it  is  claimed,  was  a  music  pupil  of  this  old  secluded 
teacher.  This  young  woman  came  under  the  influ- 
ence of  his  advanced  ideas,  to  the  extent  that  she 
gave  up  family  and  the  social  standing  with  it. 
Desiring  not  to  place  her  family  in  bad  repute,  she 


THE  STRIKERS'  COMMITTEE  17 

became  incognito,  and  is  called  Humanity.  (The 
name  she  is  known  in  the  Pit.)  She  received  a 
portion  of  the  family  estate  to  never  disclose  her 
identity." 

"  Very  romantic  !  " 

"  Yes.  A  very  beautiful  woman,  too.  No  doubt 
very  intellectual.  But,  the  old  saying  ?  " 

"  Whom  they'll  choose  or  take  up  with,  is  as  un- 
certain as  this  weather." 

"  But  women  have  changed  the  maps.  Rode 
chargers  in  bloody  battles.  Showed  their  ability  to 
fight  and  lead  equally  as  well  as  the  men,"  con- 
tinued Newman. 

"  Do  you  think  this  woman  can  gain  much  fol- 
lowing from  the  Pit?  She  being  incognito  and 
perhaps  the  mistress  of  this  old  German,  I  would 
think,  to  some  extent  would  detract  from  her  pres- 
tige ?  "  asked  Cleve  as  he  varied  a  little  from  the 
main  gist  of  the  conversation. 

"  Quite  suggestive.  Such  is  not  this  case.  In 
fact,  my  boy,  it  is  not  permitted.  They  (she  and 
the  old  German)  fight  the  idea  of  free  love  and 
anything  that  pretends  toward  it.  She's  a  kind  of 
Hypatia.  A  Goddess  of  the  '  Joan  d'Arc '  type. 
Her  speeches  have  great  weight  with  the  Pit- 
dwellers.  If  sound  or  not,  she  to-day,  more  than 
any  one  else,  can  make  a  bloody  revolution. 
Suddroff  and  all  labor  leaders  have  the  utmost 
respect  for  her  —  a  respect  akin  to  reverence.  The 
German,  I  am  told,  idealizes  her,  and  whether  it  is 
a  spiritual  or  intellectual  love,  is  only  with  them. 
The  question  of  love  is  debatable.  Some  contend 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  mental  love,  they  argue 
that  it  is  purely  physical." 


18         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Metaphysical  Judge !  "  answered  Cleve  dryly. 
"  Do  you  think  there  is  any  reason  in  this  thing 
called  platonic  love  ?  " 

"  You  are  beyond  me.  My  mental  vision  can  go 
no  further  than  the  realm  of  Cosmogony.  I  am  too 
analytical  for  my  thoughts  to  soar,  they  pinion  in 
the  air  for  a  moment,  and  then  come  to  the  earth 
again  like  a  winged  bird.  My  imagination  will  not 
sail  the  Empyrean  and  Phantom  seas.  Being 
weighted  with  matter,  they  sink  into  material  waves 
of  thought.  However,  this,  my  boy,  is  so  much 
bombast,"  he  said  smilingly. 

"  Those  were  beautiful  thoughts,"  answered 
Cleve,  beaming  on  his  secretary. 

"  As  a  youth  I  was  given  to  such  gusto,  very 
much  in  the  same  sense  as  a  woman  likes  poetry," 
Newman  continued.  "  But  orators  remind  me  of 
peacocks  —  all  fuss,  feathers  and  inflated  ego.  I 
once  knew  one  of  those  grand  eloquent  performers. 
He  understood  reason  and  mathematics  as  well  as 
the  average  man  does  Herbert  Spencer.  To  his 
oratorical  flights  the  yaps  and  yokels  would  yell 
themselves  hoarse.  Of  course,  in  his  sphere  he  was 
without  any  exception  a  Past  Master,  but,  never- 
theless, a  bombastic  furioso." 

"  Judge,  you  are  an  Iconoclast !  You  break  the 
ideals  of  the  past,"  Cleve  said  with  delight. 

"  An  image  breaker  ?  Sure.  I  have  blasted  at 
the  Rock  of  Ages,  at  the  Tables  of  Stone  and  at  the 
Ten  Commandments  with  much  vengeance.  The 
ghosts  and  phantoms  of  the  dead  and  superstitious 
past  do  not  cast  or  recast  their  weird  appearance, 
nor  do  their  apparitions  come  to  me  in  the  dark 


THE  STRIKERS'  COMMITTEE  19 

hours  of  the  night,  or  caper  around  like  gyrating 
devils  in  the  sacred  realm  of  my  brain.  No,  boy,  I 
am  ghost  proof.  The  ghost  microbes  give  me  a 
wide  berth.  They  can't  exist  in  the  embossed  ma- 
terialism of  my  enshrouded  thoughts.  I  criticize 
the  public  men  of  the  past  with  the  same  attitude 
as  I  do  those  of  to-day,  boldly  and  without  fear/' 

"  But,  Judge,  we  have  drifted  from  the  main  gist 
of  thought.  I  wanted  your  opinion  of  this  thing  — 
this  thing  —  of  spiritual  or  platonic  love.  Do  you 
believe  there's  anything  in  it?  " 

"  A  confirmed  bachelor  is  biassed.  As  a  rule 
bachelors  do  not  know  what  it  takes  to  constitute 
love.  I  have  never  had  this  lover's  feeling,  and  I 
would  not  be  honest  in  saying  there's  nothing  to  it. 
Love  may  be  intellectual  or  not,  but  it  is  an  at- 
tracting force  at  the  same  time.  This  earth,  for 
instance,  as  it  is,  a  floating  speck  of  dust  in  the 
vastless  void,  is  attracted  by  the  law  of  gravitation. 
Under  this  classification  one  could  say  that  the 
Moon  is  in  love  with  the  Earth,  and  that  the  Earth 
is  flirting  with  the  Sun.  If  this  is  love,  then  love 
is  a  vibrating  force,  always  attracting  that  which 
is  in  the  same  pitch,  or  in  sympathy.  Every  per- 
son impels  or  creates  this  force  somewhat  on  the 
principle  of  Wireless  Telegraphy.  It  is  not  a 
credulous  thing  to  believe  that  thoughts  are  trans- 
mitted from  one  brain  to  another.  Thought  is 
force,  possessing  energy,  and  is  called  love  among 
the  human  family  when  it  attracts.  The  force  that 
attracts  men  and  women  and  all  lower  or  higher 
animals  is  the  same  force  that  the  Earth  used  in 
capturing  the  Moon.  It's  the  same  force  that  holds 


20        HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

this  Earth  and  Stars  in  their  position  —  and  so  on 
in  the  vastless  void  —  is  nothing  but  energy !  " 

Cleve  looked  at  his  aged  secretary :  "  You're  be- 
yond me,"  he  thought. 


CHAPTER   III 

A   SUBSIDIARY    COMPANY 

CLEVE  had  great  respect  for  Newman.  He 
called  him  Judge  because  he  had  been  Circuit 
Judge  three  consecutive  terms,  and  was  known  as 
one  of  the  ablest  lawyers  in  the  country.  He  had 
entered  his  father's  employ  as  chief  attorney,  and 
as  legal  agent  he  won  great  renown  during  the 
strikes  (the  last  of  which  is  not  yet  settled)  and 
especially  did  he  gain  fame  in  his  able  defense  of 
Clevendor's  business  when  the  Courts  were  about 
to  crush  and  destroy  it. 

The  Corporation  had  been  termed  a  "  gigantic 
monopoly,"  with  the  right  alone  to  restrain  trade 
according  to  its  own  volition.  Newman's  defense 
before  the  Supreme  Court  of  Clevendor,  Norton 
&  Co.'s  interest  was  so  clear  and  forcible  there  was 
only  one  course  left  for  the  Court  to  follow  and 
it  handed  down  a  decision  that  startled  the  coun- 
try. 

"  No  jurisdiction,"  the  Court  had  decreed.  "  Its 
power  of  authority  was  limited.  The  big  business 
of  the  country  had  grown  to  such  an  extent  that 
it  was  stronger  than  the  Constitution;  therefore, 
new  laws  must  be  enacted,  the  Constitution  must 
be  changed  to  meet  the  growing  needs  of  the  in- 
terests." 


22         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

Cleve  was  a  great  favorite  with  Newman. 
After  his  return  from  college,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one,  he  refused  to  attend  the  following  term  as  he 
did  not  care  to  go  further  into  the  collegiate 
course.  He  had  not  been  a  good  collegian,  as  he 
cared  more  for  collegiate  sports  than  he  did  for  an 
academic  training. 

Clevendor,  being  disgusted  with  his  son's  course 
at  college,  had  listened  with  some  degree  of  en- 
thusiasm to  a  plan  he  had  conceived  to  organize  a 
new  company,  or  a  Subsidiary,  as  it  is  known  in 
financial  circles.  He  had  agreed  to  advance  the 
necessary  funds  to  finance  this  extension  of  their 
old  business  and  also  consented  to  Newman's  idea 
to  form  a  partnership  with  Cleve  in  this  new  un- 
dertaking. 

Newman  knew  the  law,  could  give  legal  advice 
and  could  buy  a  bucolic  Legislature  when  neces- 
sary. As  this  new  enterprise  was  to  establish  a 
precedent  they  would  have  to  control  the  Congress, 
so  Newman  spent  most  of  his  time  at  Washington 
while  Cleve  planned  and  put  into  execution  the 
results  of  his  inventive  mind. 

Mr.  Clevendor,  being  in  his  declining  years,  was 
given  to  moods  and  deep  hypochondria,  character- 
ized by  an  exaggerated  anxiety,  caused,  perhaps, 
by  his  ebbing  vitality.  He  would  suddenly  think 
himself  very  poor  and  that  the  Pitdwellers  were 
murdering  the  Clouddwellers.  During  these  spells 
he  would  not  spend,  but  clung  like  a  leach  to  his 
wealth  and  would  tell  every  one  that  he  had  sud- 
denly lost  all  he  possessed.  By  this  subterfuge  he 
fooled  no  one  but  himself,  and  whether  honest  or 
dishonest,  it  served  as  an  able  artifice  for  him  to  es- 


A   SUBSIDIARY    COMPANY  23 

cape  the  tortures  of  his  conscience.  While  under 
the  influence  of  this  cloudy  shift  no  business  was 
ever  transacted  with  him. 

On  the  eve  of  the  planned  departure  Clevendor 
had  one  of  his  spells.  Cleve  was  anxious  to  be  off. 
He  could  hear  the  West  calling  him  while  his 
warm  blood  coursed  through  his  veins  through  the 
excitement  and  the  increased  rapidity  of  his  heart- 
beats. Newman  was  arranging  his  office  for  his 
successor,  when  Cleve  burst  through  the  door  in 
an  excited  manner.  "  It's  all  off !  "  he  cried. 

Newman  turned  a  surprised  face  in  his  direction. 
"What's  the  matter?" 

"  Father's  got  one  of  those  spells  and  refuses  to 
advance  the  money." 

"  Go  on  as  if  nothing  had  happened ;  and,  too, 
it  will  suit  me  better  to  leave  to-morrow  or  next 
day.  We'll  hang  around  here  until  your  father 
gets  better,  which  you  know  he  will,"  he  said 
cheeringly.  "  You  just  go  over  the  proposition 
again  in  the  morning  as  if  nothing  had  occurred," 
he  continued  by  the  way  of  parting. 

Next  morning  Cleve  found  his  father  in  better 
humor,  but  traces  of  the  mood  still  showed  in  his 
speech,  which  wore  away  as  Cleve  began  to  tell 
enthusiastically  of  the  feasibility  of  the  business. 
He  laid  bare  the  project  in  minute  detail,  growing 
in  fervor  as  his  father  listened.  When  he  had 
finished,  his  father  expressed  himself,  "  I'm  afraid 
the  plan  is  impossible  and  I  base  my  objection  on 
the  ground  that  the  present  mode  of  farming 
places  the  price  of  production  so  low  that  it  would 
hardly  pay  to  go  in  so  extensively."  Cleve  could 
tell  by  the  light  in  the  elder  man's  eye  that  he  was 


24         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

proud  of  him  and  of  the  big  idea  he  had  conceived. 
For  the  moment  he  was  captivated  and  signed  the 
necessary  papers  for  him  to  get  the  money  to  pur- 
chase land. 

He  and  Newman  made  all  haste  to  the  Tubing 
System's  depot  and  before  the  hands  'of  their 
watches  pointed  to  three  o'clock  they  were  in  the 
West  ready  to  begin  their  business,  that  was  and 
is  the  biggest  thing  of  its  kind  known  to  man. 

In  the  first  year  of  this  Company's  operations, 
extending  West  and  South  from  the  office,  had 
been  belted  fifty  miles  of  farms  in  a  web  of  iron. 
The  following  year  it  had  crossed  a  state  line  and 
was  tightening  the  steel  girders  on  the  bosom  of 
another  state. 

By  Fall  of  the  second  year  it  had  reached  the 
Mexican  border  and  decided  to  turn  its  course 
North  from  the  main  office  to  conquer  the  North- 
western states.  These  states  were  soon  belted, 
then  East,  through  the  central  portion,  dodging 
the  mountainous  country,  taking  a  southerly  route 
to  the  Atlantic.  Thus  the  great  Consolidated 
Farm  &  Development  was  formed. 

The  Company  was  chartered  to  do  an  interstate 
farming  business  and  after  it  began  to  branch  out 
it  went  into  other  fields,  Cotton  Gins,  Flour  Mills, 
Manufacturing,  etc.  It  had  to  secure  a  multiple 
charter  in  order  to  do  an  interstate  business,  in  all 
of  its  branches. 

With  a  paid  in  capital  and  surplus  it  had  no 
stock  for  sale.  It  was  a  personal  institution,  being 
governed  by  a  few  stockholders.  It  was  only  the 
determination  of  a  young  man  who  had  started  out 
to  solve  a  problem  and  meant  to  succeed. 


A   SUBSIDIARY   COMPANY  25 

At  first  land  values  were  high.  Land  owners 
placed  the  value  so  high  that  it  was  nothing  less 
than  extortion.  The  Company's  agents  bought  re- 
gardless of  the  price  and  without  objection.  This 
action  made  many  friends.  The  person  who 
owned  a  few  square  rods  realized  more  than  he 
could  gain  by  an  increased  valuation,  or  by  cul- 
tivating single-handed. 

The  purpose  of  being  on  the  square,  avoided 
legerdemain  and  such  methods  to  gain  an  end.  If 
a  land  owner  refused  to  sell,  Cleve  went  around 
him,  but  only  after  offering  him  nothing  less  than 
philanthropy.  This  person  always  regretted  his 
own  stubbornness  as  land  values  and  farm  prod- 
ucts went  down  as  the  C.  F.  &  D.  continued  to  do 
business. 

The  News  Bells  of  the  country  proclaimed  the 
"  glory  of  the  enterprise  "  and  eulogized  the  great 
philanthropist  behind  it. 

The  Labor  Bells  did  not  concur  in  this  opinion 
and  heralded  it  "  as  a  plan  to  destroy  the  last 
vestige  of  the  life  of  individualism;  that  the  hope 
of  the  Nation  was  being  consumed  by  the  curse 
of  commercialism;  that  the  blood  of  the  Com- 
monwealth was  commuted  for  dirty  gold,  and  that 
the  conservation  of  the  free  American  life  depends 
upon  the  soul  and  energy  left  in  the  people." 

The  people  did  not  care.  They  lived  only  by 
economic  determinism.  The  C.  F.  &  D.  had  low- 
ered the  high  cost  of  living.  It  was  a  good  thing. 
Cleve  suddenly  became  a  great  man. 

This  was  the  sentiment.  But  meantime  the 
cities  grew  in  population,  and  the  cry  of  the  un- 
employed became  louder  and  more  often.  Ques- 
tion arose  whether  it  was  a  benefit. 


CHAPTER    IV 

THE   STRIKE 

THE  strike  was  ordered,  and  for  the  first  time 
in  the  history  of  the  Company  it  closed  down.  All 
its  machinery  was  silent.  No  call  was  issued  to 
take  the  place  of  the  striking  Riders  and  Track- 
men. While  the  other  departments  were  loyal  the 
Riders  and  Trackmen  tied  up  the  whole  system  as 
they  brought  in  the  supplies  of  raw  material  to  be 
manufactured  into  the  finished  product,  and  to  be 
used  according  to  what  its  nature  might  justify. 

While  the  strikers  were  only  a  handful  com- 
pared to  the  main  army  of  employees,  they,  never- 
theless, controlled  the  most  important  branch  of 
the  industry. 

Governor  Jones  placed  the  city  under  martial 
law.  The  city  had  a  Labor  Mayor,  and  in  case  of 
serious  uprising  he  might  be  biassed  to  the  extent 
that  he  would  not  handle  a  violent  and  rebellious 
mob. 

The  Governor,  acting  with  authority,  had  sent 
troops  without  advising  the  Mayor.  Acting  only 
at  the  instigation  of  Cleve,  who  had  informed  him 
of  the  state  of  affairs. 

"  I  don't  like  to  leave  you,  Marion,"  Cleve  said 
the  morning  of  the  day  following  the  visit  of  the 
Suddroff  committee.  "  I'm  afraid  a  long  Labor 


THE   STRIKE  27 

war  is  on,"  he  continued,  looking-  at  the  marble 
floor  and  the  lines  of  deep  veining  in  abstraction. 

"  It's  best  for  us  to  break  up  the  '  house  party/ 
Mother  and  I  will  take  the  guests  back  to  the  city," 
she  answered,  looking  anxiously  into  his  face  from 
the  depths  of  her  brown  eyes. 

"  No.  Don't  say  it.  This  hotel  —  my  home  — 
was  built  especially  to  entertain.  You  have  just 
come  and  I  can't  think  of  your  going  away  so  soon. 
The  troops  will  be  here  and  I  think  there  will  be 
a  cowardly  withdrawal  of  the  strikers  without  in- 
jury to  a  single  person." 

They  went  to  a  window  and  looked  over  the 
city.  "  See !  The  Troopers.  They  are  arriving !  " 
he  cried,  as  he  pointed  in  the  direction  of  the 
Tubing  System  Depot.  A  narrow  but  long  line  of 
men  in  uniform  and  glistening  bayonets  began 
marching.  Then  came  the  lumbering  sounds  of 
heavy  vehicles,  and  ponderous  Auto-artilleries  with 
polished  guns  and  decks  cleared  for  action  went 
through  the  streets.  "  How  about  it  now  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"I  never — I  never  was  afraid.  I  thought  we 
would  be  in  the  way." 

"Will  you  stay?" 

"  Yes.  I  only  wanted  to  go  when  some  one  told 
me  that  the  Mayor  of  the  city  would  let  the  strikers 
throw  bombs,  and  let  them  do  many  horrible  things. 
I  just  wanted  to  leave  this  dreadful  place." 

"  We  will  do  the  bomb  throwing,"  he  assured. 
"  We  can  wipe  out  the  whole  brood  of  this  class 
of  citizens.  No,  dearie,  this  trouble  of  the  C.  F. 
&  D.  Co.  shall  not  mar  your  visit.  However,  a 
little  bloodshed  might  add  some  color  in  picturing 


28         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

the  Western  strike  to  your  friends  when  you  go 
home." 

"  I  believe  you  would  jest  in  the  face  of  death. 
I  don't  think  that  anything  could  happen  in  this 
rustic  place  that  could  startle  me.  I'm  more  in- 
terested in  you,"  she  said  smiling. 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  it.  Can't  you  spare  me  for 
awhile  ?  "  he  asked.  "  I  must  be  going  to  the  office. 
Mr.  Newman  will  think  the  strikers  have  gotten 
me." 

Cleve  found  Newman  vividly  excited.  He  was 
walking  the  floor  in  a  hurried  manner  and  was  in 
one  of  those  characteristics  moods. 

"  The  Eastern  curse  is  upon  us ! "  he  cried. 
"  It's  blightening  malediction  has  fallen  like  a  hor- 
rible nightmare !  This  dreadful  imprecation  of  evil 
laughs  at  us  from  behind  its  hideous  grinning 
mask  of  Eastern  malaproposness  in  malevolent  de- 
fiance! This  sinister  malversation  blasphemes  the 
word  of  our  God  and  destroys  the  last  heritage  of 
man's  individualism.  Enthralled  under  its  sooth- 
ing ban,  the  Pitdwellers,  doped  by  its  poisonous 
toxin,  would  crucify  justice  and  carry  civilization 
back  to  barbarism !  " 

"  Stop  !  "  cried  Cleve. 

"  Stop !  Boy,  did  you  say  stop  ?  "  turning  an 
ashen  face  to  the  young  man. 

Cleve  was  ashamed.  "  Excuse  me,  Mr.  New- 
man, I'm  all  unnerved." 

"  Why,  lad,  of  course  I  shall.  But  the  old  man 
read  further  into  the  future  and  could  see  this  awful 
tragedy  with  its  bloody  ending." 

"  For  my  sake,  don't  tell  any  of  the  guests, 
Marion  or  her  mother.  At  any  cost  don't  tell  any 


THE    STRIKE  29 

one  at  the  hotel.  We  must  not  show  any  alarm 
over  this  affair  while  in  their  presence." 

"  As  you  wish,  but  I  had  a  call  from  Mr.  Norton 
in  regard  to  this  very  thing.  On  learning  of  this 
trouble  he  went  to  see  your  father  and  they  had 
areed  to  advance  all  necessary  money  until  the 
crisis  was  over;  and  asked  if  I  thought  it  best  to 
arrange  for  the  departure  of  Mrs.  Norton,  Marion 
and  the  guests.  I  told  him  there  was  no  immediate 
danger,  and  if  developments  were  to  the  contrary 
I  would  advise  accordingly." 

"  Good,"  Cleve  responded. 

"  My  boy,  it  was  your  happiness  I  was  consider- 
ing. However,  speaking  candidly,  I  think  it  would 
be  for  the  best,  the  guests  should  leave.  This 
morning  I  find  we  are  losers  of  a  few  millions." 

"  The  war  of  destruction  has  begun  ? "  asked 
Cleve  turning  pale.  "  Don't  the  fools  know  it  will 
place  the  nation  —  " 

"  They  are  but  cattle,"  put  in  Newman.  "  A 
stampede  is  inevitable.  The  masses  do  not  reason. 
I  once  thought  they  did  and  early  in  life  I  started 
to  work  for  them.  I  soon  learned  they  could  not 
be  trusted.  They  were  cowards,  and  easily  swayed 
at  will  by  demagogues.  I  was  honest  in  my  devo- 
tion to  principles  I  thought  constituted  reforma- 
tion. I  had  a  sentimental  attachment  for  the 
people  and  their  cause.  Being  gifted  and  eloquent 
I  incited  the  envy  of  the  leaders.  They  accused 
me  of  not  being  class  conscious.  A  lawyer,  and 
coming  from  a  different  class  (my  parents  were 
wealthy),  I  was  snubbed  on  all  occasions.  Petty 
charges  calculated  to  damage  my  good  name  were 


30         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

preferred  against  me.  Driven,  at  last,  to  despera- 
tion by  the  class  I  wished  to  defend,  my  ideals 
shattered,  the  mob  howling  like  wild  animals  at 
my  heels  for  my  blood,  I  struck  back  and  I  am 
continuing  to  strike  back/'  he  said  as  if  living 
those  old  days  over  in  his  mind  again. 

"This  strike  came  when  we  least  expected -it. 
I  would  have  had  Marion  and  her  friends  postpone 
their  visit.  They  came  this  morning  and  as  the 
troops  are  here  they  will  not  witness  scenes  cal- 
culated to  mar  their  pleasure." 

"  Just  go  on  with  this  affair,  boy.  I'll  keep  the 
Company's  head  above  water.  The  property  that 
has  been  destroyed  is  only  where  protection  could 
not  be  afforded,  and  I  think  by  now  we  have  every- 
thing under  control.  I  have  prepared  an  ad- 
dress —  " 

At  this  moment  the  voice  of  the  Evening  Bell, 
from  its  funnels,  informed  that  Mr.  Newman 
(Atty.  for  the  C.  F.  &  D.  Co.),  would  make  a  brief 
address.  From  the  four  huge  bells,  Newman's 
words  went  North,  South,  East  and  West,  and  in 
the  mouth  of  every  one  of  them  Newman's  likeness 
was  presented. 

"  To  whom  it  may  concern,"  he  said.  "  The 
strike  was  instituted  by  forces  outside  the  realm  of 
the  Company,  and  by  people  who  do  not  understand 
the  workings  of  any  one  of  the  departments.  The 
demands  were  insolent.  The  Company  could  not 
receive  them.  It  meant,  simply  in  one  word,  con- 
fiscation. There  was  but  one  alternative,  the 
Company  would  rather  face  a  strike,  have  its  in- 
dependence and  receive  what  moral  support  it 


THE    STRIKE  31 

could,  than  submit  calmly  to  coercion  by  dark 
lantern  apostles  of  social  impossibility.  The  C.  F. 
&  D.  Co.  wanted  to  be  fair  in  the  matter.  It  had 
no  desire  to  cause  bloodshed,  and  all  that  it  asks 
is  the  moral  support  of  all  law  abiding  people.  It 
will  not  try  to  run  with  outside  labor.  Hoping  the 
strikers  will  soon  see  the  error  of  their  way  and 
return  to  the  places  that  are  waiting  for  them, 
praying  that  the  breach  between  those  who  harbor 
a  grievance  may  be  amicably  adjusted."  He  con- 
cluded by  saying,  "  the  Company  wants  to  go  still 
further  in  cheapening  the  necessities  of  life." 

"  That  will  do  them  good,"  said  Newman  turn- 
ing to  Cleve,  while  vociferous  applause  came  from 
the  populous  streets. 

Following  Newman's  address,  Suddroff  appeared 
in  the  mouths  of  the  funnels  of  the  Daily  Bell. 

"  Mr.  Newman  is  the  unreasonable,  unsympa- 
thetic and  uncivil  personage  of  all  the  intellectual 
prostitutes  who  serve  at  the  feet  of  our  social  Cor- 
morants," he  said.  "  His  conscience  is  akin  to  mar- 
ble. Instead  of  being  an  attorney  of  the  C.  F.  &  D. 
Co.,  he  is  the  main  power  behind  the  throne.  The 
acting  King,  Clevendor  Second  is  but  a  figure- 
head, the  offspring  of  Clevendor  the  First,  and 
every  bit  as  bloodthirsty  as  his  cruel  father.  The 
Company  is  but  a  subsidiary  of  Clevendor,  Norton 
&  Co.,  the  arch  enemy  of  man,  God  and  good- 
government.  The  strike  will  fail,  ist,  because  of 
not  obtaining  the  support  of  the  official  union  and 
the  other  departments.  2d,  because  there's  an  army 
of  unemployed,  ten  times  greater  than  there  are 
places  to  fill. 

"  There   is   only  one  solution   for  this   gigantic 


32        HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

monopoly,  that  is  in  the  single  tax  theory  of  Gov- 
ernment control." 

No  applause,  except  in  a  few  alleys  and  by-streets 
where  small  crowds  had  collected  to  listen  to  the 
agitators. 


CHAPTER   V 

THE   HOUSE   PARTY 

"  PAINTING  your  picture  rather  vividly  ?  "  said 
Cleve,  as  they  listened  to  Suddroff's  address. 

"  Lad,  they  have  painted  it  worse  before,  and  if 
I  am  not  deaf,  you  also  came  in  for  a  share  of  this 
fellow's  abuse.  These  people  can  never  see  any- 
thing but  their  own  selfish  desires.  They  want 
their  Utopian  dream  now.  What  education  has  not 
done  they  want  to  create  by  law.  They  want  a 
Heaven  on  earth  by  statutory  enactment." 

"  Very  improbable !  "  replied  Cleve. 

"  Right  you  are_,  boy,"  Newman  assented.  "  Re- 
forms do  not  come  in  a  day;  it  takes  knowledge 
and  sentiment  and  years  of  waiting  to  get  them. 
You  can  no  more  legislate  morality  than  you  can 
the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  Education  is  the 
power  of  thought.  We  —  you  and  I  —  are  doing 
more  to  create  the  Pitdwellers'  thoughts  than  a 
dozen  Suddroffs.  The  fellow  that  villifies  the 
Clouddwellers  does  it  to  attract  a  mob  to  his  stand- 
ard and  publicity.  I  hope  this  deluded  fellow  gets 
the  notoriety." 

"  I  see  he  admits  failure,"  ventured  Cleve. 

"  Yes,"  Newman  responded.  "  The  people  of 
this  country  are  not  like  those  of  the  East.  He 
found  conditions  unripe  for  his  fiendish  carnage." 


34         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  I  must  be  going.  You  are  coming  over  to 
spend  the  evening  ?  " 

"  Sure.    If  a  bachelor  is  welcome  ?  "  he  answered. 

"  You  know  he  is." 

As  Cleve  left  the  garage  in  one  of  his  racing  fly- 
ing machines,  he  noticed  the  soldiers  encamped 
around  his  building. 

He  gave  the  countersign  by  means  of  a  flash- 
light, so  the  Troops  would  not  take  him  for  an 
enemy  and  destroy  him  with  a  shot  from  one  of 
their  aerial  guns. 

Cleve  was  an  expert  airman,  holding  records  for 
both  altitude  and  endurance  tests,  and  would  be  a 
strong  contestant  for  first  honors  in  the  next  In- 
ternational Meet. 

On  reaching  the  hotel  the  management  informed 
him  of  the  women's  excitement,  and  before  he 
went  to  their  apartments  he  saw  signs  of  the  chaotic 
condition. 

He  entered  the  costly  furnished  alcove  that  led 
to  a  more  elegant  apartment  —  all  was  still  —  he 
went  in  and  waited  for  evidence  of  the  girls  or 
Mrs.  Norton.  He  heard  feminine  voices  in  the 
superb  and  lavish  drawing-room. 

This  parlor  was  provided  with  old  unique 
wooden  articles,  elegant  furniture  and  rugs  from 
Persia  and  Damascus.  It  would  have  graced  a 
King's  palace  as  he  had  spent  a  Sovereign's  income 
to  equip  this  room  and  hotel  in  general  with  the 
best  the  market  afforded. 

He  stepped  across  the  second  alcove  to  peer  into 
the  drawing-room,  and  then  feeling  guilty  of  in- 
truding upon  his  guests  unawares  he  made  known 
his  advance  by  clearing  his  throat  and  crying  out 


THE    HOUSE   PARTY  35 

lustily,  "  I'm  coming,"  simultaneously  parting  the 
portieres  in  time  to  see  scurrying  kimonos  and 
dainty  slippers,  and  occasionally  various  bits  of 
hosiery  as  the  girls  half  laughing,  half  crying 
made  their  exit  to  protection  from  his  naughty  eyes. 

"  Caught ! "  he  cried  as  Marion  emerged  from 
behind  a  massive  divan  where  she  had  crouched 
for  temporary  refuge. 

"  Yes,  villain !  "  she  answered  writh  mingled  tears 
and  smiles.  "  Idiot !  Why  did  you  not  let  us 
know?  We  had  begun  to  pack.  We  will  not  stay 
here  where  they  let  a  nasty  man  talk  about  us. 
Since  you  have  acted  so,  I  know  we  are  going. 
Mama  is  talking  to  Papa  and  we —  Dog!  how 
dare  you  come  here  ?  " 

"  You  knew  we  are  only  half  dressed,"  she  said, 

"  Marion,  I  would  do  anything  for  you." 

"  You  knew  we  be  only  half  dressed,"  she  said, 
acting  as  though  mad  with  him. 

"  I'm  glad  I  didn't.  Yes.  A  thousand  times 
glad.  You  look  prettier  at  this  moment  than  I  have 
ever  seen.  Why,  Marion,  I  never  dreamed  you 
were  half  so  lovely,"  he  answered,  drawing  nearer. 
"  I  believe  I  love  you  more  and  more  every  time  I 
see  you,"  he  went  on. 

''You  believe;  you  are  not  certain  then?"  she 
questioned. 

"  I  know,  if  you  are  particular  about  verbs." 

"  That's  better.  Believe  and  know  are  entirely 
different.  To  believe  expresses  to  an  extent,  un- 
certainty ;  while  to  know,  expresses  you  are  posi- 
tive that  a  thing  is  true." 

Then  came  voices  from  behind  half  closed  doors, 


36         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

curtains,  etc.  "  She's  trying  to  fool  you,  Cleve. 
She  jumped  behind  that  — 

Marion,  blushingly :  "  Cruelly  enough  you  have 
forsaken  me  in  this  moment  of  need.  Perform 
your  womanly  duties  and  venture  forth  and  expel 
this  bold  intruder  who  has  invaded  our  sanctuary. 
Come !  Show  your  womanhood !  "  she  cried. 

Cleve  was  an  athlete,  six  feet  high,  and  weighed 
one  hundred  and  ninety  pounds.  In  wrestling  and 
boxing  match  he  would  have  been  a  powerful  an- 
tagonist. He  watched  the  circle  of  girls  with  an 
amused  expression.  Suddenly  he  became  seized 
with  fear  and  trembled  from  head  to  foot,  al- 
though he  was  a  Gulliver  and  the  girls  looked  like 
Lilliputians  beside  him. 

"  On  your  knees  !  "  the  girls  cried.  "  Pray,  man, 
and  beg  mercy  of  superiors !  " 

With  his  hands  clasped  reverently  under  his  chin 
he  went  down  on  his  knees  as  he  was  told,  and  his 
eyes  looking  imploringly  at  his  feminine  captors 
as  they  gyrated  around  him  Indian  fashion. 

Going  through  their  burlesque  and  pantomimic 
performances  they  went  around  him  the  second 
time  and  retired  to  a  corner  of  the  room  as  if  in 
secret  council.  Returning  they  removed  the  gag 
from  his  mouth,  and  Miss  Nell  Jackson,  a  pretty 
brunette  with  a  dramatic  voice,  began  to  speak: 
"  Sir,  by  the  power  invested  in  me  and  in  behalf  of 
the  sisters  your  life  can  be  saved  only  upon  one 
condition.  You  must  discard  your  coat  and  vest 
and  don  the  kimono." 

"  I  promise  —  ' 

"  To  wear  the  Kimono !  "  she  emphasized. 


THE   HOUSE   PARTY  37 

"  Yes.  To  wear  the  Kimono  —  Pa-jamas  — 
Night — Nightgowns  or  —  " 

"  That  will  do/'  returned  she,  with  a  majestic 
sweep  of  the  hand.  "  Another  thing  you  will  have 
to  do  before  you  can  gain  your  freedom  —  a  very 
trying  ordeal  —  you  must  permit  yourself  to  be 
kissed  by  every  sister  of  this  order." 

"  I'd  rather  sacrifice  my  sacred  right  to  man- 
hood. I  refuse,"  he  answered. 

"  Sisters !  Gag  him !  He  refuses  to  obey  one  of 
the  most  important  mandates  of  the  order!  I  say 
gag  him !  His  supercilious  pride  is  unbearable." 

Turning  to  the  girls :  "  I  hope  you  don't  feel 
hurt  by  what  this  mere  man  refuses  to  do?  He 
talks  so  ungentlemanly  I  would  suggest  we  wash 
out  his  mouth  with  a  little  soap  and  water." 

"A  great  idea,  Nell.  We  should  have  thought 
of  this  before,"  said  little  Miss  Delainey. 

"  Something  more  than  soap  and  water,"  spoke 
Marion.  "  An  antiseptic !  Carbolic  acid  is  good. 
It's  a  great  disinfectant !  " 

"  The  unkindest  cut  of  all,"  thought  Cleve. 

"  Ice  cream  and  fruit  cake  would  be  punishment 
enough,"  put  in  Jhonie  Windsthurs,  the  older  of 
the  two  Windsthurs  sisters. 

This  met  with  cries  of  "  Horrible !  "  and  "  How 
could  you  be  so  cruel,  Jhonie  ?  " 

Cleve  groaned  and  pulled  helplessly  at  the  cords 
that  held  him  a  captive. 

"To  add  torture  to  his  misery  I  would  say  a 
little  plum  pudding,  too,"  said  Gertie  Windsthurs. 

This  brought  forth  more  pain  in  Cleve's  face, 
and  viciously  he  tried  to  break  the  stays  that  bound 
him. 


38         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

They  seemed  to  be  divided  on  his  sentence,  so 
a  vote  was  taken  which  stood  two  to  three  for  plum 
pudding,  Marion  casting  the  vote  that  sealed  his 
fate  to  the  awful  stuff. 

"  Now,  mere  man,  you  have  heard  the  decree. 
Which  of  the  many  punishments  do  you  prefer? 
You  don't  refuse  to  wear  the  Kimono,  but  you  do 
to  kiss  the  young  ladies.  Now  you  must  take  one 
or  more  of  these  —  soap  and  water,  carbolic  acid, 
ice  cream,  fruit  cake,  and  worst  of  all,  plum  pud- 
ding. We  will  be  lenient.  You  can  make  your 
selection." 

"  I  will  wear  the  Kimono.  I  will  take  a  little 
ice  cream  and  some  fruit  cake,  and  I  will  also  try 
to  munch  the  plum  pudding,"  he  answered  meekly. 

The  girls  looked  puzzled.  The  Kimono,  or  one 
large  enough,  was  the  all  important  question. 
Finally  Marion  obtained  one  of  her  mother's.  This 
one  proved  to  be  of  equal  dimensions,  and  when 
adjusted  to  him  it  was  too  short.  It  only  came  to 
his  knees. 

Thus  robed  and  led  to  an  old  stately  chair  where 
he  must  go  through  the  osculation.  As  Marion 
was  instrumental  in  the  victim's  capture,  she  should 
have  the  first  chance  at  the  lips  of  the  poor  un- 
sophisticated Cleve.  When  about  to  carry  this  into 
execution  she  heard  Miss  Delainey  whisper,  "  I  bet 
this  is  no  new  thing  for  Marion."  To  this  she  said : 
"  Dimple,  I  never  would  have  thought  this  of  you. 
I  have  never  in  all  my  life  before  —  unless  it  was 
my  Papa." 

"  We  believe  you,  Marion.  We  believe  you, 
dear,"  came  the  girls  in  chorus. 

"  I  can  prove  it  by  Cleve,  —  too,"  she  added. 


THE    HOUSE   PARTY  39 

"  Why,  dearie  —  we  know.     But  go  on/' 

She  was  about  to  spring  the  trigger  of  decapita- 
tion when  Mrs.  Norton  appeared  and  stopped  the 
guillotine  performance. 

"  Girls,  I'm  ashamed.  As  your  chaperon  I  place 
the  ban  on  such  unladylike  actions.  I'll  not  permit 
this,"  she  said. 

"  Saved !  "  cried  Cleve,  running  to  Mrs.  Norton 
and  kneeling  before  her. 

"  You  have  escaped  us,  Villain !  We  will  get 
you  yet,"  came  the  chorus. 

Mrs.  Norton  told  how  she  had  been  a  silent 
spectator  from  behind  the  portieres  in  the  second 
recess  room,  where  she  had  come  in  time  to  hear 
Cleve  say,  "  I'm  coming."  Many  times  she  said  she 
could  hardly  suppress  her  laughter,  and  when  it 
seemed  the  joke  was  carried  too  far  she  decided  to 
intercede. 

"Well,  ladies,"  explained  Cleve,  "the  reason  I 
didn't  let  you  know  I  was  coming  was  because  of 
what  I  heard  at  the  office.  I  came  here  as  quickly 
as  I  could." 

"  We  accept  your  apology,"  answered  the  girls. 

"  But,  really,  I  rushed  here  expecting  to  find  you 
excited." 

"  We  were  before  you  came,"  put  in  Miss  Jack- 
son. "  We  were  declaring  our  intentions  of  leav- 
ing. After  hearing  what  that  mean  man  said  about 
you  and  Newman  in  the  Daily  Bell  to-day,  we 
started  to  pack." 

"  You  have  changed  your  mind  now  ?  You 
aren't  really  going  ?  "  he  pleaded,  looking  first  at 
Mrs.  Norton  and  then  at  the  girls.  "  The  trouble 
is  practically  settled.  The  troops  afford  all  pro- 


40         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

tection  we  need.  This  strike  has  failed,  and  you 
should  not  pay  any  attention  to  political  fakirs." 

"  Cleve,"  began  Mrs.  Norton  (she  called  him 
Cleve  because  he  had  been  one  of  the  family.  His 
father  and  Mr.  Norton  had  been  associated  in  busi- 
ness, and  as  Cleve's  mother  had  died  when  he  was 
very  small  he  had  been  pampered  and  petted  and 
partially  reared  in  the  Norton  family) ,  "  we  will 
stay  a  few  days  longer.  I  have  been  talking  to  Mr. 
Norton  and  he  told  me  what  Newman  had  said." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  this,"  he  answered. 

In  a  few  days  the  clouds  of  war  that  hung  so 
low  on  the  industrial  horizon  of  the  C.  F.  &  D.  Co. 
lifted  and  disappeared.  The  Autumn  grew  into 
Fall  an  the  inimical  relations  were  once  more  ad- 
justed. 

A  general  amnesty  was  granted  to  the  strikers, 
conditioned  only  that  they  return  to  work,  and  to 
this  agreement  every  man  complied. 


CHAPTER   VI 

THE   ACCIDENTAL    MEETING 

ONE  evening  later  as  the  day  grew  into  the  night, 
Cleve  was  alone  on  the  top  of  his  office  building. 
The  roof  garden  of  this  structure  served  as  a 
landing  for  Aerial  crafts.  He  was  tired,  and  had 
excused  himself,  leaving  Newman  to  entertain,  on 
the  ground  that  he  had  some  very  important  mat- 
ter that  needed  attention.  His  real  objection  was 
that  the  guests  would  go  to  a  play  which  he  did  not 
care  to  see;  and  afterwards  the  midnight  dinner 
against  which  his  stomach  rebelled.  They  would 
drink  the  night  into  drunken  revelry,  and  to  the 
extent  that  sleep  would  be  possible  only  after  weary 
hours  of  tossing. 

He  had  accompanied  them  as  far  as  the  office 
building  with  the  understanding  they  would  return 
for  him.  He  watched  them  leave  the  landing  in 
one  of  his  twenty  passenger  ships  and  disappear 
in  the  fast  gathering  gloom.  Newman  substanti- 
ated his  excuses,  and  Cleve  was  now  alone  save 
the  night  force  that  labored  away  at  the  tremen- 
dous volume  of  substance  on  which  action  must  be 
had  for  the  entire  system. 

In  the  distance  he  could  see  the  outlines  of  the 
huge  double  tubes  of  the  American  Pneumatic 
Tubing  System.  The  large  tubes  in  the  dusky 


42         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

grey,  looked  like  monstrous  creatures  of  prey  and 
had  crawled  from  seclusion  to  devour  what  Aerial 
wanderers  that  happened  to  cross  their  slimy  path. 
Within  the  cannonlike  walls  were  human  cartridges, 
and  when  loaded,  were  propelled  by  air  pressure 
at  a  velocity  that  made  the  fast  Express  of  yester- 
day appear  as  slow  as  did  the  stage  coach  of  the 
1 6th  century.  Many  nights  he  had  looked  and 
longed  to  enter  the  tubes  and  go  East  on  a  mission 
of  love. 

It  had  then  been  several  weeks  since  he  had  seen 
Marion  and  he  would  then  feel  some  remorse  of 
conscience.  What  would  she  think?  He  had  not 
even  talked  to  her  over  the  wire.  It  was  usually 
after  some  slight  disagreement  that  these  fitful  de- 
sires came  to  him.  He  wanted  her  to  understand ; 
he  would  let  her  suffer  a  while  longer.  Should  she 
turn  to  Greyhouse  (her  father's  tool)  to  make  him 
jealous?  Once  she  had  half  way  insinuated  this 
when  they  had  quarreled  —  she  was  going  to  marry 
the  Mayor.  She  maintained  this  position  to  his 
dissatisfaction,  and  he  told  her  that  it  must  be  one 
or  the  other.  Either  Greyhouse  must  cease  or  he 
would  break  all  negotiation  for  the  heart  and  hand 
of  the  Princess  of  the  Skies. 

At  one  time  she  refused  to  appear  in  the  Photo- 
phone  when  he  wanted  her.  Then  he  would  think 
of  going  to  the  city.  He  had  loved  and  played 
with  her  from  childhood.  He  remembered  their 
first  days  —  the  day  her  soft  dark  auburn  curls 
fell  so  naturally  in  her  young  fair  face.  The  crim- 
son would  mount  her  velvet  cheeks  as  he,  in  mad 
love,  would  press  them  against  his  own.  He  would 
tell  her  of  his  affection  and  could  feel  the  hot  blood 


THE  ACCIDENTAL   MEETING  43 

in  her  rosy  lips  as  they  met  his  in  terms  of  un- 
adulterated innocence.  Life  was  worth  the  living; 
it  was  ecstatic!  How  joyful  to  sit  in  the  realm  of 
throbbing  hearts  beating  to  the  music  of  love! 

Yes!  Marion  was  beautiful.  Her  large  brown 
eyes  so  soft  with  the  raiment  of  love  proved  it. 
Her  marvelous  olive  complexion  was  real.  The 
crimson  in  her  face  was  life  itself;  she  could  not 
help  being  the  pure  noble  hearted  girl.  She  was 
the  woman  to  make  his  wife. 

Her  beauty  had  captivated  him,  and  he  was  will- 
ing to  be  her  slave  as  long  as  it  did  not  endanger 
his  chances  in  winning  her.  Her  personality 
seemed  increased  and  more  than  once  he  felt  him- 
self fast  receding  from  his  position.  If  he  could 
make  his  stand  dignified  she  must  always  respect 
and  honor  him. 

She  had  been  no  little  power  in  the  shaping  of 
big  business.  A  factor  she  had  been  in  bringing 
about  the  oligarchy  of  wealth,  behind  which  was 
Clevendor,  Norton  &  Company.  But  under  pres- 
ent conditions  this  organization  should  have  been 
as  strong  as  the  "  rock  of  Gibraltar,"  but  any 
throne  and  organized  wealth  is  unstable  and  vacil- 
lating when  the  voice  of  the  people  becomes  the 
law.  The  flurries  and  eddies  of  unsettled  trade 
winds  caused  little  concern.  In  the  industrial 
vortex  he  saw  danger.  Thrones  tottering,  statutory 
enactments  pass  away  and  the  forces  of  protection 
brought  into  play. 

Marion  had  been  an  asset  in  this  respect;  her 
friendship  with  the  law  makers,  and  was  highly 
respected  by  all  the  denizens  of  the  legal  fraternity, 


44         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

especially  with  Marcus  H.  Greyhouse,  a  Presidential 
possibility. 

In  the  streets  below  he  saw  worming-  humanity. 
He  wondered  if  life  brought  happiness  there.  Per- 
haps in  this  little  sphere  these  people  were  as  happy 
as  he.  But  am  I  happy?  He  pondered  deeply  and 
reverently  without  conclusion.  Was  it  worth  the 
fight  with  transcending  society  to  maintain  his 
business?  His  soul  cried  for  something-  more  than 
the  busy  throes  of  commerce.  And  again,  if  he 
should  gain  his  commercial  desire  and  lose  Marion 
in  the  end !  Was  not  every  moment  away  from 
her  idly  spent?  Was  he  not  miserable  when  she 
was  out  of  his  sight?  Why  not  quit,  before  it  was 
too  late?  Quit  before  his  head  should  decorate 
some  bloody  Pitdweller's  pike  as  did  the  heads  of 
Loyalists  during  the  "  French  reign  of  terror." 

He  shuddered  in  the  cool  Autumn  evening.  A 
sudden  aversion  for  the  people  coming  over  him. 
He  saw  in  the  Pit  below  his  perpetual  enemies  and 
with  whom  he  was  eternally  at  war.  With  whom 
he  could  never  be  at  peace,  unless  he  would  sur- 
render his  property  to  be  run  and  managed  by  the 
Mob!  If  he  did  what  would  become  of  it  all? 
Where  would  Marion  go,  and  what  would  become 
of  her?  Newman,  he  thought,  might  possibly  con- 
tinue to  manage  the  C.  F.  &  D.  Co.  under  the  Gov- 
ernment control !  For  the  rest  of  the  Clouddwellers 
he  could  see  no  source  of  existence.  To  give  up  the 
fight  meant  he  and  all  his  friends  would  sink  into 
the  Pit,  and  be  like  so  many  animals,  fighting-  for 
means  of  sustenance. 

No,  he  would  fight  first.  He  would  not  sell  out 
to  the  Government,  because  in  the  twinkling  of  an 


THE   ACCIDENTAL    MEETING  45 

eye  it  might  declare  the  money  he  had  received  in 
exchange  void.  It  had  the  power  to  change 
legal  tender  at  any  time.  Suddenly  he  was  aroused 
from  this  abstraction  by  the  crippled  appearance  of 
an  Aerial  craft.  It  was  coming  toward  him  and 
as  it  swayed  and  careened  through  the  air  it  looked 
as  if  it  might  go  crashing  to  the  earth  at  any  mo- 
ment. 

He  was  horrified;  and  he  watched  the  distressed 
ship  in  breathless  excitement  as  it  wavered  between 
existence  and  destruction.  He  thought  of  entering 
his  own  craft  and  going  to  its  aid,  but  upon  second 
thought  this  seemed  like  suicide  itself ;  to  make  the 
effort  might  mean  death  to  all  of  them,  whereas  the 
thing  had  a  possible  chance  of  landing  safely.  He 
pressed  the  button  and  switched  on  the  lights.  The 
situation  made  him  tremble  as  he  realized  the  dan- 
gerous predicament  of  the  ship's  occupants.  Cleve, 
as  much  as  he  was  concerned,  could  do  nothing  but 
hold  his  breath  and  await  the  hideous  climax. 

As  the  ship  made  its  heroic  but  losing  battle 
against  the  law  of  gravitation,  an  act  of  Providence 
prevented  a  shocking  catastrophe.  A  sudden  gust 
of  wind  lifted  the  craft,  when  it  was  about  to  fall 
short,  and  made  it  clear  the  landing  by  a  few  feet, 
where  the  disabled  machine  crashed  with  terrific 
force  into  the  railings  that  bordered  the  pier. 

Cleve  rushed  to  the  rescue,  just  as  the  occupants 
extricated  themselves  from  the  wreckage  of  broken 
steel  and  twisted  wire.  "  No,  we  are  not  hurt," 
replied  a  young  woman  to  his  query ;  "  but  I  am 
afraid  the  pilot  has  not  fared  so  well.  Poor  fellow, 
he  did  his  best,  and  if  it  had  not  been  for  his  pres- 


46         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

ence  of  mind,  we  might  have  been  .  .  .  it's  awful. 
I  can't  bear  to  think  of  it." 

With  an  anxious  look  and  a  trembling  voice  she 
called;  no  response;  she  peered  into  the  wreck 
mass  and  beheld  from  underneath  there  trickled  a 
little  stream.  She  removed  her  glove  and  exposed 
her  finger  to  the  stain-like  substance.  "  It  is  no 
more  than  I  feared,  Mr.  Binger,"  she  voiced  in 
sympathy.  "  It's  the  pilot's  blood." 

"  Pilot's  blood !  "  came  the  startled  expression  of 
her  companion. 

"  It  is,"  with  a  look  of  pain  in  her  face. 

"  Can  I  assist  you?  "  Cleve  asked  as  he  came  to 
a  realization  of  what  had  happened.  He  gave  or- 
ders to  his  office  men  to  clear  the  pier. 

The  young  lady  gave  a  look  of  deep  gratitude, 
as  she  removed  her  veil  and  passed  it  to  her  silent 
comrade.  He  saw  her  countenance ;  it  was  beauti- 
ful. The  face  seemed  to  radiate  love  and  intelli- 
gence; it  was  wonderful.  The  contour  portrayed 
an  amicable  disposition,  void  of  selfishness ;  but  at 
the  moment,  the  charming  personality  was  de- 
pressed. "  I  beg  pardon,"  she  said  as  she  led  her 
old  associate  away  and  addressing  Cleve,  "  if  we 
have  trespassed  upon  private  property?  We  only 
did  so  to  save  our  lives,  and  you  see  one  of  our 
number  has  not  fared  so  well." 

"  Not  at  all,"  he  assured. 

"  We  are  thankful  for  the  lights,"  she  continued. 
"  They  were  switched  on  at  an  opportune  time. 
We  have  received  so  much  assistance  at  your  ex- 
pense —  such  as  having  this  garage  damaged  and 
bespattered  with  blood,  that  it  would  be  indecorous 
for  us  to  accept  further  aid." 


THE   ACCIDENTAL    MEETING  47 

"  You  are  more  than  welcome,  and  I  beg  of  you 
to  relieve  yourself  of  this  mistaken  apprehension. 
While  you  have  invaded  my  private  domain  the 
firmament  and  all  garages  of  the  skies  are  free  to 
Clouddwellers." 

"  True,"  she  returned.  "  We  do  not  wish  to  de- 
ceive you.  We  are  not  inhabitants  of  the  sky.  We 
are  subjects  of  the  Pit!" 

"  Indeed !  "  he  exclaimed  superciliously.  "  Your 
name  is — ?  " 

"  Humanity,"  she  put  in  meekly. 

He  started.  "The  name  of  your  companion?" 
he  asked,  looking  at  the  old  man  who  was  gazing 
over  the  city  as  if  thinking  of  their  trouble. 

"  There  is  nothing  in  common  between  the  people 
of  the  two  worlds,"  she  replied.  "  I  can't  see  why 
you  who  occupy  the  more  preferable  one  should 
concern  yourself  with  those  who  are  supposed  to 
be  beneath  you  in  every  social  requirement." 

"  A  good  argument,"  he  returned. 

"  This  old  man  is  a  gentleman  in  every  sense  of 
the  word,"  she  went  on.  "  He  is  a  man  by  all  the 
attributes  but  one  —  he  has  no  money.  According 
to  Clouddwellers  he  is  not  a  man.  The  two  worlds 
measure  manhood  by  different  standards  —  the 
moral  with  us  and  the  monetary  with  you  —  and 
all  the  agencies  in  use  can't  change  this  condition." 

Cleve  remained  silent  and  waited. 

"  You  believe  the  moral  standard  produces  the 
fool,"  she  continued.  "We  know  your  standard 
of  greed  makes  the  criminal.  Can  fools  and  crim- 
inals harmonize  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly,"  he  answered  sarcastically. 

"  We  of  the  Pit  view  you  Clouddwellers  as  cor- 


48         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

morants,  while  you  of  the  Clouds  look  upon  we 
Pitdwellers  as  so  many  animals." 

"  I  thank  you  for  this  information,"  he  answered 
in  keen  irony. 

"  However,  we  are  greatly  indebted  to  you,  but 
to  accept  further  hospitality  would  place  us  in  a 
more  compromising1  position.  We  must  meet  you 
as  an  enemy  and  we  deem  it  expedient  to  refuse." 

Curious  enough  Cleve  was  anxious  to  learn  more 
of  this  young  woman  who  so  defiantly  and  candidly 
spoke  her  thoughts.  Truly,  he  was  face  to  face 
with  they  who  would  remove  his  title  to  his  prop- 
erty and  drive  him  to  work  like  the  many  wage 
slaves.  They  would  take  his  vast  holdings  without 
one  word  of  regret  or  one  sou  of  compensation. 
They  met  him  on  the  same  plane  as  they  would  a 
robber.  They  considered  all  men  who  lived  by  the 
fruits  of  their  brain  as  such.  He  was  a  social  cor- 
morant, yet  the  very  institution  that  made  him  one 
had  saved  their  lives.  They  vehemently  condemned 
it.  Saved  from  death  by  one  of  his  structures  was 
no  consideration.  The  old  man  sphynical;  the 
young  woman  was  eager  to  talk.  With  Newman's 
description  and  coupled  with  what  his  own  eyes 
had  seen,  he  knew  he  was  face  to  face  with  the 
German  professor  and  the  woman  called  Humanity. 

"  It  is  many  feet  to  the  Pit  below,"  he  said. 
"  Your  mode  of  travel  is  no  more.  My  elevators 
will  not  move  unless  I  give  the  word.  In  the  halls 
and  stairways  are  stationed  an  army  of  detectives. 
The  only  exit  is  to  jump,  but  this  is  destruction  in 
itself.  I  am  your  enemy ;  you  must  admit  that  you 
are  my  captives.  I  control  all  avenues  of  escape. 
It  is  best  to  becalm  yourself  and  it  is  best  to  be 


THE   ACCIDENTAL    MEETING  49 

seated.  I  will  give  you  humane  treatment.  This 
J  could  not  say  would  be  my  lot  if  I  should  meet 
with  this  kind  of  accident  in  the  Pit.  Yes,  it  is 
best  to  becalm  yourself,"  he  continued,  as  he  led 
her  to  a  magnificent  divan  surrounded  with  fra- 
grant scented  flowers.  "  This  is  my  retreat,"  he 
explained,  "  and  if  I  be  a  social  cormorant  I  also 
love  the  assthetical.  Down  below  you  will  find  art 
of  rare  value  from  the  hands  of  deft  masters.  I 
have  these  paintings  because  it  seems  to  be  a  fad. 
They  are  a  diversion  from  a  fit  of  the  '  blues.'  I 
wish  I  had  a  Grand  Piano  "  (he  saw  light  in  her 
eyes.  He  knew  he  was  on  the  right  line) ,  "  which  I 
would  have  a  girl  friend  play.  Do  you  play  ?  "  he 
asked  abruptly. 

"  Yes,  some,"  she  answered  with  a  far  away 
dreamy  look  in  her  eyes.  The  old  German  arose 
and  walked  to  the  end  of  the  landing.  He  leaned 
over  the  railing  and  peered  into  the  abyss  below. 
"  Yes,  some,"  she  repeated  as  if  recalling  the  past. 
"  But  I  don't  now.  I  haven't  the  time  —  or  I  mean 
my  heart  is  too  heavy.  To  play  reminds  me  of 
home.  I  gave  it  up.  I  gave  up  my  father  and 
mother  —  my  dearest  friends  —  and  my  brother 
for  —  " 

"  For  what  ?  "  he  interrupted. 

"  For  the  poor  souls  of  the  Pit,"  she  answered 
sorrowfully.  "  I  gave  my  talents  (if  I  had  any) 
to  them.  I  believe  it  is  my  duty." 

"  Why  not  stop  ?  "  he  queried,  noticing  the  pain 
in  her  face. 

With  a  deep  sympathetic  reproach  in  her  blue 
eyes :  "  You  don't  understand." 

"  I  confess  —  I  can't  understand  why  a  girl  of 


50         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

your  nature,  culture  and  refinement  should  throw 
herself  away." 

"  To  obdurate  persons  it  is  a  mystery.  To  those 
of  us  who  follow  in  His  steps,  it  is  simple  and 
natural." 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  returned,  "  but  I  do  not  know 
to  whom  you  refer.  You  don't  mean  that  old  Ger- 
man?" 

"  How  did  you  know  he  was  of  that  descent  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  You  said  in  His  steps !  "  he  replied. 

"  I  mean  Christ's ;  my  Master,  His  steps,"  she 
answered ;  "  but  what  of  my  question  ?  " 

"  You  are  from  the  East,  and  the  old  man  was 
your  music  teacher  before  you  went  away  with 
him,"  he  replied  bluntly. 

"  How  do  you  know  this  ?  "  she  demanded,  her 
face  flushed.  "  Tell  me.  How  do  you  know  this  ?  " 

"  I  told  the  truth,"  he  maintained,  doggedly. 
"Didn't  I?" 

"  Yes,  partly.  You  don't  know  my  real  name  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"  I  haven't  that  pleasure.  That's  what  I  asked 
early  in  the  conversation." 

"  I  am  supposed  to  be  lost  or  dead.  I  am  known 
only  as  Humanity." 

"  I  rather  like  the  name ;  but  tell  me  why  you 
took  this  dreadful  step  ?  " 

"  For  the  Brotherhood  of  Man ;  for  Justice, 
Truth  and  Right;  and  for  ...  God,"  she  said, 
with  her  voice  full  of  pathos. 

"  Very  noble  and  very  commendable,"  he  agreed. 
"  You  are  one  in  a  million,  little  girl ;  yes,  one  in 
a  million."  He  reflected  a  moment  and  looked  in 


THE  ACCIDENTAL    MEETING  51 

the  direction  of  her  companion.  "  You  will  tell  me 
the  truth  if  I  should  ask  for  it?  Did  that  old 
man  lead  you  off?  Did  he  influence  you  by  this 
exotic  nonsense?  —  this  evanescent  and  iridescent 
dream ! " 

She  was  silent;  then  after  a  time  she  spoke: 
"  My  dear  Sir,  what  does  it  matter  to  you  if  he 
did?" 

"Matter!"  he  repeated.  "Why  —  I  — 
would  —  " 

"  You  would  do  nothing.  If  you  should  do  any 
injury  to  that  old  man,  you  would  have  me  your 
everlasting  enemy." 

"  I  thought  we  were  that  now  ?  " 

"  Have  it  as  you  like,"  she  answered,  with  sud- 
den coolness  in  her  manner  that  startled  him.  "  I 
hope,  Mr.  Clouddweller,"  she  continued,  "you  are 
amply  repaid  by  detaining  us.  We  came  here  by 
accident,  and  are  your  guests  against  our  will.  I 
hope  you  receive  much  enjoyment  by  this  incar- 
ceration." 

"Oh,  don't  worry,"  he  said.  "It  is  not  often 
I  meet  such  a  good  looking  woman.  I  can  assure 
you  this  is  so." 

"Then  it  gives  you  pleasure,  Mr.  Clouddweller, 
to  detain  us  ?  "  she  asked.  "  We  are  not  of  your 
class.  You  seemed  to  be  concerned  (pretended  or 
not)  about  me  as  if  I  had  committed  some  great 
wrong.  Yes,  I  have  left  my  father  and  mother; 
I  left  them  because  I  could  not  live  in  their  intel- 
lectual atmospheric  home.  However,  they  were 
kind;  my  brother  treated  me  with  great  respect; 
but,  they  were  ascetical  and  unwavering  as  this  re- 
inforced concrete  building.  I  was  considered  a 


52         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

hoyden,"  she  went  on,  "  and  more  than  once  threw 
my  people  into  nervous  tremors.  They  were  sup- 
posed to  be  Christians  —  to  be  followers  of  that 
lowly  and  humble  person,  that  taught  the  Father- 
hood of  God  and  the  Brotherhood  of  Man.  But, 
the  inmates  of  the  Pit  could  all  be  butchered  to- 
morrow, and  they  would  think  it  would  be  a  public 
blessing.  My  people  are  people  like  you.  They  are 
Clouddwellers,  Social  Cormorants  and  are  very 
vain  and  selfish  —  and  are  true  descendants  of  the 
reptile  class  from  which  the  bird  kingdom  is  sup- 
posed to  have  ascended." 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said,  with  an  amused  expres- 
sion. 

"  A  while  ago,"  she  continued,  "  you,  thought  I 
desired  to  go  back  to  that  class.  Of  course  there 
are  times  when  I  am  very  sorry  and  think  of  my 
people  and  wonder  if  they  were  right  after  all. 
And,  at  times  I  suffer  with  deep  melancholy  and 
with  a  vivid  imagination  I  can  exaggerate  my 
symptoms.  A  moment  ago,  I  suffered  a  momen- 
tary depression.  The  loss  of  my  ship,  the  pilot's 
death,  and  suddenly  finding  myself  back  in  my  old 
life's  atmosphere  did  unnerve  me.  Perhaps  I  was 
scared,"  she  went  on,  "  and  didn't  permit  my  friend 
to  speak.  Poor  fellow ;  it  is  I  who  ran  away  with 
him,  and  not  as  the  story  runs,  as  I  left  home  some 
time  before.  He  has  been  a  great  help  to  me;  in 
fact,  he  has  taught  me  all  I  know  in  music  and  in 
sociology.  He  is  in  incognito.  He  came  from  a 
very  distinguished  German  family.  Hfo  people 
were  German  Clouddwellers  and  his  father  was  a 
life  Oberburgermeister  (rather  long  name,  but  it 
means  Mayor  in  German)  of  one  of  the  celebrated 


THE   ACCIDENTAL    MEETING  53 

cities.  I  believe  it  was  Dusseldorf.  Anyway,  you 
can't  tell  that  he  is  of  German  descent,  as  he  speaks 
English  as  well,  if  not  better  than  we.  I  appre- 
ciate what  courtesy  you  have  given  us/'  she  said, 
in  a  pleasant  little  laugh,  and  in  finishing  repartee : 
"  We  would  be  ingrates  if  we  did  not." 

"  Thanks." 

"  But  the  proposition  is  unprecedented  and  very 
humiliating  if  not  for  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
given,"  she  said.  "  In  so  much  as  you  pity  me,  I 
pity  you.  It  is  all  a  matter  of  good  taste.  It  gives 
you  pleasure  to  pyramid  your  money.  In  that  I 
can  only  see  a  narrow  life,  incased  by -high  cold 
walls  of  the  yellow  stuff,  on  which  you  Social 
Cormorants  gloat  and  feed." 

"  This  stuff  makes  the  line  of  demarcation  be- 
tween the  two  classes ;  and  makes  it  possible  for 
you  to  live  and  dwell  in  marble  palaced  homes  in 
the  skies. 

"  No,  we  are  different ;  created  different  and  our 
environments  are  different.  You  love  the  gay  mun- 
dane life  that  makes  you  cruel  and  selfish.  For 
this  life  I  do  not  care.  I  love  the  Pitdwellers. 
Some  day  they  will  dig  deep  for  truths,  and  the 
time  will  come  when  they  will  dig  *beneath  your 
aerial  homes  and  they  will  come  tumbling  down, 
and  with  them  bring  this  inhuman  and  unnatural 
civilization,"  she  said,  still  looking  at  him,  her  face 
wonderfully  anxious  and  earnest.  Continuing  in 
the  same  way,  she  said,  "  I  do  not  blame  you,  in 
as  much  as  you  do  not  care  for  humanity,  and,  of 
course,  we  do  not  expect  you  to  reverse  your  posi- 
tion and  become  good  all  at  once.  The  majority 
of  the  voting  population  are  ignorant,  and  your 


54         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

business  is  yours  only  by  their  consent,  and  as  long- 
as  you  can  keep  them  so  you  are  not  afraid.  I  am 
trying  by  legitimate  means  to  educate  them  to 
their  rights  —  to  truth  and  social  justice. 

"  You  don't  understand  and  can't  see  anything 
beyond  the  glimmer  of  your  metallic  world.  You 
see  the  battleground  on  which  all  must  fight  and 
you  have  carried  out  that  idea  to  damaging-  effect. 
What  you  take  from  others  shall  be  taken  from 
you.  To-day  you  have  the  wealth  of  the  world  be- 
hind you.  All  things  proclaim  your  virtues  and 
defend  your  property,  which  you  retain  only 
through  superstition,  credulity,  and  a  childlike  be- 
lief in  the  old  order  of  blood  and  tyranny." 

"And  what  of  it?"  he  asked.  "I  have  been  a 
silent  listener,  hoping  by  doing  so  you  might  en- 
lighten me.  All  I  gather  is  preposterous.  The  Pit 
which  you  seemed  so  concerned  in  is  many  times 
better  off  than  it  was  fifty  years  ago." 

"  That's  an  incorrect  statement,"  she  answered, 
her  face  flushing-.  "  However,  I  have  no  desire 
to  change  you.  Your  views  are  of  no  consequence. 
I  know  your  type ;  I  know  your  point  of  view.  It 
is  hereditary,  and  your  duty  to  humanity  is  your 
policy  of  aggrandizement.  Self-hypnotized  you 
have  goaded  yourself  into  believing  you  are  doing 
the  right  thing.  I  can  sympathize  with  you.  Your 
horror  of  the  Pit  is  the  why.  Your  respiratory 
organs  would  suffer  in  that  damp  heavy  atmosphere 
of  the  place.  I  made  the  change  easily  and  that  is 
the  one  of  many  reasons  I  caused  my  parent's  un- 
easiness when  they  were  rearing-  me  as  a  young 
girl  should  be." 

"  Come,"  he  asked,  changing  the  subject,  "  come 


THE   ACCIDENTAL    MEETING  55 

with  me  and  I  shall  introduce  you  to  our  society. 
The  Boat  is  landing,  and  Mr.  Newman,"  he  con- 
tinued, making  her  acquainted  with  the  situation, 
"  has  been  entertaining  some  friends." 

"  No,"  she  answered  drawing  away,  "  I  realized 
this  enormous  gulf  between  us  and  think  it  would 
be  indecorous.  It  would  embarrass  you,  and  re- 
member your  social  caste.  Admitting  that  it  would 
add  no  new  honors  to  your  glory,  I  can  only  re- 
gard it  as  an  imposition.  Therefore,  I  reject  the 
invitation,  .but  I  am  astonished  at  your  nobility  of 
heart,"  she  added,  giving  him  a  queer  look  with  a 
mischievous  smile  lurking  in  the  corners  of  her 
mouth. 

"  This  idea  is  grotesque,"  she  went  on.  "  Con- 
sider this  German  friend  and  myself  hobnobbing 
with  our  arch-enemies,  the  Clouddwellers.  Why, 
it  would  be  offering  insult  to  injury  to  the  people 
who  believe  in  and  follow  us." 

"  It's  an  insult  to  be  treated  as  one  of  my  guests ! 
Do  you  know  who  I  am  ? "  He  paused  for  her 
answer. 

"  I  do  not  care !  "  she  answered  unconsciously, 
turning  her  attention  to  the  ethereal  expanse  which 
was  alive  with  myriads  of  sailing  crafts. 

"  I'm  Cleve  Clevendor.  And  there  are  people 
who  would  pay  a  king's  income  or  who  would  sell 
their  own  selves  to  receive  what  I  have  offered 
you." 

"This  I  don't  deny  any  more  than  I  do  the 
theory  of  gravitation.  Men  and  women  will  find 
their  level,  even  if  some  hydra-headed  vampires 
should  have  to  sprout  wings  to  rise  out  of  the  Pit 
to  find  their  consanguinity  in  the  Clouds.  Yes, 


56         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

they  will  sell  themselves  to  get  out  of  the  Pit.  But, 
there  are  a  million  of  them  more  that  will  give  the 
last  drop  of  blood  in  their  veins  to  pull  you  from 
your  eyries." 

The  dynamic  force  of  her  words  during  their 
conversation  convinced  him  that  the  denouement 
of  something  was  but  inevitable.  She  turned  and 
regarded  him  in  silence,  as  if  to  read  his  very  soul. 
His  eyes  avoided  her  gaze. 

"  Your  invitation  is  but  an  insidious  design  of 
which  no  one  but  a  —  " 

"  Your  accusation  is  —  "  he  challenged. 

i(  You  compel  our  incarceration !  " 

"  It  pleases  me  and  besides  I  like  to  talk  to  you." 

"  It  is  not  reciprocal,"  she  answered. 

"  Reciprocity  does  not  matter.  Anything  is  fair 
in  the  game  of  war,  and  you  first  declared  it.  If 
you  are  my  enemy  by  the  forces  of  fate  you  are  my 
captive.  The  more  you  antagonize  the  more  you 
tighten  the  bonds  of  captivity." 


CHAPTER   VII 

MARION    JEALOUS   OF   HUMANITY 

THE  guests  left  the  ship  at  the  landing,  loud  and 
obstreperous.  Their  cachinnations  making  un- 
pleasant cacophonies  on  the  evening  air  and  tell- 
ing only  too  well  their  drunken  condition. 

"  Newman  has  loaded  them.  They  are  noisy," 
said  Cleve  apologetically. 

"  And  this  is  the  crowd  you  wanted  me  to 
meet  ?  "  she  asked  with  a  look  of  disgust,  and  at 
the  same  time  rising  and  placing  the  heavy  aerial 
veil  which  hid  her  face  behind  its  deep  folds. 

The  old  German  was  still  lingering  around  the 
pier  and  Newman  seized  him  just  as  he  was  making 
an  effort  to  run  away.  With  the  aid  of  the  pilot 
he  was  pushing  or  dragging  the  frightened  old 
man  to  the  polished  marble  parapet  that  skirted  the 
roof-garden  and  the  sides  of  the  pier,  to  throw  him 
into  the  depths  below,  when  Humanity  started  to 
his  assistance. 

"  They  will  not  injure  him,"  he  tried  to  explain 
as  he  arose  from  the  bench  and  followed  her. 

She  did  not  answer  or  argue  the  question,  but 
hurried  to  the  aid  of  her  fellow  comrade  in  his 
precarious  condition,  and  which  indeed  seemed  un- 
certain as  his  captors  had  won  the  struggle  and  he 
lay  balanced  across  the  railing  with  his  head  ex- 


58         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

tending  towards  the  earth.  Newman  had  paused 
in  response  to  entreaties  from  the  ladies  when  Cleve 
and  Humanity  appeared;  his  drunken  brain  par- 
tially realizing  the  magnitude  of  the  crime  he  was 
about  to  commit,  when  the  pilot,  in  obedience  to 
Cleve's  command  took  possession  of  the  situation 
and  pulled  the  old  man  back  to  safety. 

Cleve's  reprimand  had  somewhat  sobered  New- 
man, and  as  the  two  strange  people  seemed  to  be 
the  guests  of  the  youn^  man,  they  immediately  be- 
came the  center  of  attraction.  To  have  a  man,  and 
especially  a  woman,  visit  him  at  the  garden  in  their 
absence  was  enshrouded  with  much  mystery. 

"  I  am  pained  beyond  expression  to  know  that 
one  of  my  guests  should  suffer  this,"  said  Cleve 
gravely.  "  This  old  gentleman  is  a  friend  of  this 
voting  lady  with  whom  I  sympathize  and  for  whom 
I  have  the  utmost  respect.  Their  craft  was 
wrecked  here  an  hour  or  so  ago  and  their  pilot 
lost  his  life.  Knowing  this  I  feel  that  you  will  be 
more  kind  towards  the  unfortunate,  if  you  do  not 
suspend  judgment  altogether." 

Marion's  heart  was  relieved ;  she  felt  inwardly 
ashamed  that  she  allowed  herself  to  mistrust  him. 

"  In  speaking  for  the  guests  and  myself,"  re- 
turned Newman,  "  I  will  say  we  are  very  sorry, 
and  offer  our  regrets  as  well  as  our  heartfelt  sym- 
pathy. We  feel  deeply  your  just  criticism  which 
we  respect  more  than  we  resent.  Had  we  knowl- 
edge of  this  situation,  and  the  relation  these  people 
bore  to  you,  we  would  have  treated  them  with  the 
proper  courtesy ;  but,  when  you  were  not  supposed 
to  receive  any  visitors,  and  finding  fragments  and 
broken  parts  of  an  airship,  and  blood  stains  on  the 


MARION    JEALOUS   OF   HUMANITY  59 

landing  and  thinking  I  recognize  in  the  form  of 
that  old  man  a  person  who  is  said  to  be  the  most 
criminal  of  Pitdwellers,  who  advocates  the  destruc- 
tion of  modern  society  by  a  carnage  of  blood  and 
murder  —  I  thought  you,  Cleve,  my  boy,  had  suf- 
fered, and  the  revolution  had  started.  However, 
in  this  supposition,  I  am  glad  to  say  I  have  been 
mistaken,  and  apologize  for  this  colossal  blunder 
and  mistaken  identity.  Please  introduce  your  new 
friends." 

Cleve  was  rebuffed  and  hesitated  to  speak. 

"  Yes,  Cleve,  we  would  consider  it  a  great  pleas- 
ure to  know  them,"  said  Marion. 

Mrs.  Norton  looked  at  her  as  if  demanding 
silence.  The  other  girls  remained  still;  but  they 
as  well  as  the  rest  of  the  guests  showed  too  well 
the  effect  of  the  stimulant  they  had  been  drinking, 
and  this  new  situation  or  turn  of  affairs  had  to 
some  extent  restored  their  equilibrium. 

Cleve  remained  calm  and  looked  into  the  white 
face  of  Humanity.  She  had  removed  her  veil,  but 
refused  to  speak.  The  old  German  also  maintained 
his  silence. 

"  If  this  man  is  not  Herr  Binger,  who  is  he  ?  " 
spoke  Newman. 

"  If  he  be  Herr  Binger,  it  matters  little  to  me. 
Furthermore,  I  have  no  proof  to  confirm  that  he 
is,"  responded  Cleve. 

"  Anarchist !     Boy,  do  you  realize  —  " 

"What  does  it  matter?  We  are  all  Anarchists 
—  yes,  Anarchists  !  " 

Humanity  looked  at  him  in  great  surprise.  A 
silent  gloom  fell  over  the  crowd.  The  ebullient 
spirit  of  laughter  and  song  died  away  and  the  situa- 


60         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

tion  resolved  itself  into  what  seemed  to  be  a  serious 
climax. 

"  Theoretically,  we  are,"  Newman  answered. 

"  Gentlemen,  if  you  will  ask  the  individual  over 
whom  this  discussion  seems  to  be  the  all-absorbing 
topic,  I  am  sure  it  will  save  valuable  time  and 
much  waste  of  words,"  suggested  Marion. 

"  But  first  call  the  Police,"  interposed  Newman. 

Following  Newman's  words  Humanity,  with  her 
face  convulsed  and  trembling  like  a  leaf,  suppress- 
ing some  mental  agony  burning  and  seething  for 
freedom,  stepped  between  the  old  man  and  the 
crowd.  Bellicose  in  every  curve,  in  every  move- 
ment of  her  body,  in  every  breath  that  came  and 
went  in  quick  succession  through  her  dilating  nos- 
trils, her  breast  rising  and  falling,  her  mouth  tense 
and  set,  her  eyes  flashing  and  sending  a  queer  force 
that  awed  and  terrified,  and  portraying  a  person 
full  of  fight,  uncognizant  of  danger  and  very  exotic 
to  the  word. 

"  Coward  !  Call  the  Police  !  "  she  cried,  address- 
ing Newman.  u  You  would  use  a  trip-hammer  to 
crush  an  insect !  In  your  surmise  you  are  quite 
right ;  this  old  gentleman  is  Herr  Binger,  and  I  — 
I  am  Humanity.  Now,  do  your  worst  —  you  know 
the  truth.  Hold  your  nose  and  appear  as  if  you 
smell  something  very  foul  —  for  to  you  the  air  we 
Pitdwellers  exhale  is  nothing  less  than  pollution. 
We  are  all  you  accuse  us  of  being,  and  so  far  as 
you  feel  the  humiliation  of  our  association,  we  feel 
our  own  abasement  by  being  here.  Call  the  Police 
if  you  will ;  create  a  plot.  Say  Clevendor's  life 
was  attempted.  Take  us  to  jail  —  electrocute  us. 
Then  you,  apostate,  will  get  your  revenge.  Little 


MARION    JEALOUS   OF   HUMANITY  61 

does  your  master  know  that  your  well  fed  body 
encases  a  black  heart.  Little  does  he  know  your 
associates  before  you  became  the  apostle  of  this 
barbarous  system  —  its  high  priest,  eat  its  offals 
and  preach  its  virtues  !  " 

"  Subterfuge !  "  he  answered.  "  This  is  only  an 
artifice.  Your  accusation  is  not  only  utterly  ridicu- 
lous, but  monstrously  absurd ;  these  people  are  my 
friends  and  your  infamous  charge  will  do  me  no 
injury." 

"  You  are  right  —  I  see  your  environment  and 
prototype." 

"  Qeve,  take  us  away,"  asked  Mrs.  Norton.  "  I 
can't  see  the  use  in  this  conversation  and  I  cer- 
tainly do  not  want  the  girls  to  hear  the  uncouth 
language  of  this  person." 

"  This  is  no  place  for  ladies,"  he  answered.  Turn- 
ing to  them,  he  bade  them  go ;  their  chaotic  voices 
showed  they  were  now  giving  vent  to  their  feeling 
as  they  repaired  to  the  garden. 

"  Be  reasonable,  boy ;  call  the  Police,"  New- 
man urged. 

"  Mr.  Newman,  I  am  astonished,"  he  returned. 
"  You  of  revolutionary  ideas  would  condemn  those 
who  fight  for  them.  You  of  all  others  I  thought 
would  be  the  first  to  vindicate  them.  No ;  I  will 
not  call  the  Police.  It  will  only  augment  the  situa- 
tion. While  I  have  no  patience  with  such  views 
or  ideas  I  will  give  them  fair  consideration." 

There  was  a  touch  of  Autumn  air  in  this  early 
September  night.  The  Moon  had  climbed  high  in 
the  Heavens,  radiating  its  whitish  melancholy  glow. 
There  was  a  gloomy  characterized  condition  of  the 


62         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

very  atmosphere  and  firmaments  —  dej  ected,  ca- 
lamitous and  somber. 

Newman  looked  at  Cleve.  "  I  guess  I  was  drunk, 
my  boy  ?  " 

"  I  will  take  this  excuse  on  your  self  admitted 
intoxicated  condition ; "  turning1  to  the  girl,  he  said, 
"  My  private  ship  '  Mellifluent '  is  at  your  disposal." 

"  We  thank  you,  sir  —  " 

"  We  have  been  very  heartless." 

She  smiled,  and  with  a  merry  twinkle  in  her  eyes, 
said,  "  I  didn't  know  that  such  a  word  was  in  the 
vocabulary  of  any  Clouddwellers  ?  " 

Cleve  silently  watched  them  board  his  craft 
and  sail  away.  Then  to  Newman,  who  was  lean- 
ing on  the  marble  railing,  said,  "  Let's  go  to  the 
garden ;  this  air  makes  me  morbid." 

"  Tis  coming  —  coming  sure  as  fate !  "  repeated 
Newman  grimly. 

"  Don't  predict  such ;   we  can  crush  them." 

"  You  had  the  opportunity  a  moment  ago,  but 
refused ! " 


CHAPTER   VIII 
CLEVE'S  JEALOUSY  AROUSED 

TWENTY-FOUR  hours  had  passed  since  the  acci- 
dental meeting  of  Humanity,  and  during  the  time 
Marion  had  displayed  feelings  toward  Cleve  that 
seemed  a  little  strange. 

"  You  say  you  don't  care  for  this  woman  ?  "  she 
asked,  looked  searchingly  with  her  dark  brown 
eyes  into  his. 

"  Do  you  think  a  woman  like  her  could  come 
between  us?  No,  my  love  is  of  the  heart  and  not 
of  the  head.  The  personal  charms  of  this  woman 
belong  to  the  world  and  not  to  the  woman  who 
enjoys  seclusion  and  refinement." 

"  Mama  said,  '  she  never  saw  such  a  frightful 
creature  —  so  mannish  —  and  said  such  awful 
things/  I  don't  care  for  such  low-bred  people/' 

"  She  must  be  common,  otherwise  she  would  not 
have  descended  to  the  Pit.  But  her  people  may  be 
very  aristocratic  ?  "  he  suggested,  thinking  of  what 
she  had  told  him.  "We  should  try  to  avoid  the 
such  of  last  night.  The  vituperations  of  the 
Clouds,  by  this  vicious  female  agitator,  is  neither 
good  for  your  ears  nor  wholesome  for  your  mind." 

"  Cleve,"  she  said  speaking  softly,  "  those  people 
are  very  distasteful  to  me.  I  have  a  feeling  (it 
may  be  a  presentiment) .  I  fear  her !  " 


64         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Nonsense.  The  Army  and  Navy  will  defend 
our  lives  and  perpetuate  our  ownership  of  pros- 
perity." 

'  Then,  you'll  not  have  to  fight  ?  " 

"  Me  ?    Oh,  no !  "  he  answered,  laughingly. 

"  I  was  just  thinking —  " 

"  Thinking  in  case  of  war  you  might  be  minus 
a  husband  ?  " 

A  sudden  wave  of  crimson  crossed  her  face. 
"  You  should  not  be  so  silly  about  it." 

"Then  you'll  marry  me?"  he  asked  eagerly. 

She  demurred.  He  watched  and  waited,  his  very 
being  tremulous.  "  Marion,  when  ?  "  he  repeated, 
leaning  towards  her  as  they  sat  in  his  hotel  roof- 
garden,  his  strong  arms  encircling  her  waist,  and 
madly  crushing  her  white  quivering  aesthetical 
form. 

"  You  are  more  beautiful  than  I  have  ever  seen 
you.  How  dainty,  so  fresh,  so  white  and  so  sweet. 
My  very  soul  is  a  fire  to  consume  you !  "  he  cried, 
crushing  her  on  his  chest  and  planting  on  her 
amorous  lips  a  hot  burning  kiss.  "  My  darling !  I 
could  press  you  —  press  you  until  you  would  merge 
into  my  very  being." 

"A  thousand  joys!  You  send  a  million  thrills 
through  me  !  Press  me  tighter  —  tighter  until  my 
bones  ache !  You  can't  hurt  me !  This  is  love !  " 
she  cried. 

"  Yes,  this  is  love !  " 

"If  you  should  hold  any  other  woman  like  you 
are  holding  me  I  would  do  something  —  " 

"  And  you  in  another  man's  arms  ?  " 

17  Ignoramus.  You  don't  know  a  woman's  na- 
ture." 


CLEVE'S  JEALOUSY  AROUSED  65 

His  face  suddenly  grew  dark.  "  How  about 
Greyhouse  ?  " 

A  shudder  passed  over  her.  "  The  touch  of  his 
hand  chills  me.  I  believe  his  veins  are  filled  with 
ice  water.  Why  do  you  always  tease  me  about 
him?" 

"  Because  he's  my  rival ;  there's  '  many  a  slip 
betwixt  the  cup  and  the  lip.' ' 

"  You  depreciate  yourself,"  she  added. 

"  He  is  handsome ;  and  I  understand  he  is  to 
be  the  next  President." 

"  You  think  so  ?  "  she  asked,  quickly  freeing-  her- 
self from  his  arms. 

"  You  are  eager,  Marion.     I  see  —  " 

"  You  see  nothing.  I  was  only  tired  of  the  posi- 
tion. You  thought  I  —  " 

"  Your  abrupt  movement.  I  surmised  you  were 
interested,  otherwise  —  " 

"  President !  Phew !  Why,  he  hasn't  brains 
enough ;  and  besides,  he  is  too  closely  allied  with 
your  father  and  my  father." 

"  He  is  well  supplied  with  grey  matter ;  how- 
ever, I  understand  he  is  to  marry  a  woman  agitator 
which  will  make  him  more  strong  with  the  people." 

She  began  to  stare  into  space,  and  the  fire  in  her 
eyes  told  only  too  well  how  the  smoldering  coals  of 
jealousy  had  been  fanned  into  a  furious  flame  by 
the  suggestion.  Recovering  to  some  extent,  and 
realizing  she  must  not  betray  herself,  she  said  in 
an  unconcerned  way,  "  I  do  not  believe  it." 

"  He  is  politically  ambitious.  He  does  want  an 
heiress.  A  union  with  a  leading  woman  of  the  Pit 
would  materially  garner  votes  and  he  is  shrewd 
and  awake." 


66         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

She  avoided  his  gaze. 

"  He  is  directly  aspiring,"  he  continued,  "  and  as 
he  has  plenty  of  money  himself,  he  will  marry 
some  woman  that  has  the  votes  and  can  help  him 
attain  the  goal  of  his  ambition." 

"  Mr.  Greyhouse  is  too  much  of  a  gentleman  to 
do  this.  Who  told  you  ?  " 

"How  about  the  woman  of  last  night?" 

"  Preposterous !  " 

"  Very  reasonable  ;  she  is  beautiful.  The  '  Joan 
of  Pit/  Whatever  she  does  and  wherever  she  goes, 
the  Pitdwellers  follow  and  proclaim  the  glory 
thereof." 

"  That  hideous  creature !  That  horrid  thing ! 
Mr.  Greyhouse's  wife  ?  No !  Never !  "  she  cried. 

"  A  good  woman  should  never  marry  him ;  be- 
cause he  will  put  everything  aside  that  stands  be- 
tween his  ambition.  An  heiress  would  be  like 
placing  a  millstone  about  his  neck  —  it  would 
anchor  his  political  aspiration  and  sink  his  cher- 
ished ambition  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea  of  oblivion." 

No  answer  came  from  her  —  she  stared,  her  face 
cold  and  hard.  He  went  on,  "  However,  these  as- 
sumptions are  indefinite.  Greyhouse  as  a  Presi- 
dential possibility  is  only  problematical.  He  may 
never  wish  to  marry  a  Pitdweller,"  he  paused ;  she 
still  made  no  response.  "  Marion,  are  you  ill? 
Why  don't  you  speak  to  me  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  You  are  trying  to  quarrel ;  I  am  growing 
weary  of  you  always  linking  our  names." 

"  Our  engagement  —  our  wedding  —  when 
shall  —  " 

"  Wait  awhile." 

"  You  don't  care  —  " 


CLEVE'S  JEALOUSY  AROUSED  67 

"  I  do." 

"Why  wait?" 

"Because  —  " 

"  Want  to  see  if  —  " 

"Not  that  —  " 

"Then  you  are  obdurate  —  a  flirt  —  you  don't 
love.  You  are  a  real  social  tigress,  ready  to  spring 
upon  a  second  victim  as  soon  as  death  or  some 
other  mysterious  force  has  robbed  you  of  the  first 
one." 

She  uttered  a  cruel  artificial  laugh,  and  said, 
"  Your  character  sketch  is  pleasing  to  me.  You 
have  described  the  personality  I  have  tried  to  be, 
and  your  keen  perception  has  avoided  in  time  the 
precipice  over  which  many  blindly  fall." 

"  Your  '  words  cut  like  a  two  edge  sword.' " 

"  I  returned  the  compliment.  Jealousy  is  what 
is  the  matter  with  you.  I  am  not  '  head  over  heels  ' 
in  love  with  every  man  I  see.  I  have  never  ques- 
tioned your  love.  Did  you  ever  think  of  that  ?  You 
should  be  more  trusting,  more  affectionate  and  less 
suspicious." 

"  You  may  be  right,"  he  returned,  "  I  hope  you 
are.  I'll  never  display  my  temper  again." 

"  You  are  my  only  broad-shouldered,  brown- 
eyed  prince  I  have  in  all  the  world." 

"  These  words  make  me  happy ;  perhaps  we  had 
better  join  the  guests?  " 


CHAPTER    IX 

A    CRUCIAL    MOMENT 

NEWMAN  arched  his  eyebrows  and  queried,  "  So 
you  are  going  to  get  married  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  but  keep  it  for  awhile,"  said  Cleve. 
"  You  can  spring  it  to-night." 

"Marion?" 

"  Of  course." 

Newman  studied  the  floor  for  a  minute,  shook 
his  head  and  asked,  "  Soon,  my  boy  ?  " 

"  It  can't  be  too  soon,"  he  answered  jubilantly. 

"  It  is  useless  to  ask  if  you  love  her  ?  She  is  a 
lovely  young  woman  and  a  Princess  who  will  grace 
your  castle;  but  are  you  sure  of  each  other?" 

"  Our  minds  are  the  same  as  one ;  however,  I 
understand  your  lack  of  faith." 

"  No  '  wedding  bells  '  for  me." 

"  Or  connubial  voyages  ?  " 

"  No.  My  right  arm  would  go  before  I  bind 
myself  to  a  contract  for  life.  I  have  seen  too  much 
of  it.  In  my  courts  every  docket  has  been  full  of 
divorce  cases.  Men  and  women  who  had  soon 
tired  of  their  contract  and  seeking  this  way  to  free- 
dom." 

"  You  have  only  seen  one  side  of  it  and  accounts 
for  your  skepticism." 

"  Younger  I  might  have  ventured  to  put  my  foot 


A   CRUCIAL    MOMENT  69 

on  the  '  soft,  soft  pedal ; '  but  at  that  time  I  didn't 
have  the  '  wherewith  '  to  equip  an  expedition  to  ex- 
plore this  unknown  sea." 

"Monetary  consideration?" 

"  Then  —  yes ;  but  to-day  it  is  different.  It  is  a 
question  of  being  '  penny  wise '  rather  than  '  pound 
foolish.'  And  in  the  language  of  the  immortalized 
Patrick  Henry,  '  I  care  not  the  course  others  may 
take,  but  as  for  me,  give  me  liberty  or  give  me 
death.'  * 

"Marriage  has  a  tendency  to  crush  freedom?" 

"  You  are  anchored  to  the  home  by  the  wife's 
apron  string  and  squawking  stork  productions  left 
on  vour  doorstep  unsolicited." 

" '  Destroy  the  home  you  destroy  the  govern- 
ment '  is  the  old  adage,"  said  Cleve. 

"  That  statement  only  affirms  and  does  not  de- 
fine," he  answered.  "  Governments  are  not  of  the 
Architect's  product  —  they  are  not  moulded  or 
shaped  —  you  can't  plan  and  create  a  government 
or  a  nation  as  you  would  produce  a  house.  Gov- 
ernments grow,  enlarge  and  expand  automatically 
and  not  arbitrarily  as  the  wild  soi-disant  reformer 
would  have  you  believe.  There  is  some  exorable 
law,  however,  bending  to  the  whole  social  struc- 
ture; and  placable  as  the  needs  of  society  become 
more  or  less  extensive.  This  is  the  whole  intel- 
lectual thought  of  millions  of  thinking  brains 
merged  into  a  self-acting  machine,  spontaneously 
creating  the  spirit,  the  life  and  the  individualism  of 
the  nation  itself.  To  say  '  destroy  the  home  and 
you  will  destroy  the  Nation  '  is  as  misty  as  *  Indian 
Summer '  or  *  Blackberry  Winter.'  The  home  is 
singular  and  limited  to  commonplaceness ;  while 


70         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

the  distinct  individualism  —  the  government  —  is 
the  entire  combination  of  homes  unlimited.  The 
home,  whatsoever  it  may  be,  owes  its  life  and  lib- 
erty to  the  nation.  In  the  home  we  always  have 
some  petty  revolution  going  on;  and,  my  boy,  it 
is  the  every-day  thoughts  of  your  friends  and 
enemies  that  makes  the  great  big  Nation  grow  and 
expand.  The  home  has  nothing  to  do  with  it." 

"  I  just  thought  of  the  statement  and  wondered 
if  there  was  any  truth  in  it." 

"  As  you  are  about  to  create  one  ?  "  asked  New- 
man. 

"  No  jesting,  please." 

"  Is  it  that  serious  ?  " 

"  I  should  think  so.  I  am  about  to  be  tied  hand 
and  foot  and  anchored  for  life.  I  believe  that's  the 
way  you  put  it." 

"If  you  love  the  woman  that  is  different." 

"  Should  we  find  that  we  did  not?  " 

"  The  divorce  court ;   it  is  the  only  way." 

"  I  don't  want  such  notoriety." 

"  Then  let  this  puerile  dream  of  one  skirt  and 
several  rompers  go  to  the  source  from  which  it 
came." 

Newman  continued,  "  I  will  venture  your  in- 
tended wife  was  years  in  making  up  her  mind  to 
marry  you  when  doubtless  she  loved  you  better 
than  she  did  any  mortal  man." 

"  It  was  prompted  by  the  blood  in  her  veins  of 
her  ancient  mothers,  who  lived  in  the  days  of  poly- 
andry, when  women  were  at  the  head  of  the  family, 
and  had  as  many  husbands  as  they  desired.  The 
genealogy  of  the  race  was  from  the  mother,  for  in 
those  days  no  child  knew  its  father.  This  was,  so 


A   CRUCIAL   MOMENT  71 

far  as  I  have  knowledge,  the  only  time  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world  that  women  have  had  complete 
freedom;  and  for  a  return  of  those  days,  without 
polyandria,  is  the  dream  of  every  woman  suffra- 
gette." 

"  It  was  not  until  the  introduction  of  monoga- 
mous marriage  that  the  death  knell  of  woman's 
freedom  was  sounded,  and  she  has  become  the  slave 
and  plaything  of  man  until  this  day.  Marry,  my 
boy,  if  you  so  desire ;  your  wife  will  be  your  toy  — 
after  a  time  she  will  cease  to  interest  you  —  she 
will  become  as  tired  of  you  as  you  are  of  her  — 
you  both  will  be  disappointed  and  will  proclaim  it 
a  hollow  mockery  of  '  sounding  brass  and  tinkling 
symbols/  The  honeymoon  fades  —  the  sex  charm 
wanes  —  she  is  less  beautiful  because  of  con- 
tact —  love  recovers  its  sight  —  her  faults  grow, 
and  when  stripped  of  her  plumage  and  accessories, 
you  behold,  as  if  by  presto,  a  different  creature, 
and  you,  like  one  bewildered,  will  repeat  that  old 
adage,  '  all  that  glitters  is  not  gold/  Of  course  you 
love  her  now  —  you  love  her  with  all  the  ardor  of 
a  virile  young  man  —  you  see  her  in  your  dreams 
—  her  face  is  ever  before  you  —  it  makes  you  wild 
with  happiness  —  it  thrills  every  nerve  in  your 
body  —  you  yearn  for  it  —  you  want  to  fondle, 
caress  and  press  your  cheek  against  hers  —  you 
prefer  death  rather  than  lose  the  object  of  your 
dream.  You  marry  —  you  discover  you  have  been 
chasing  a  phantom  —  a  fancied  vision  —  your  ethe- 
real sweetheart  of  yesterday  becomes  your  temporal 
wife  of  to-day  —  you  are  melancholy  —  unhappy  — 
you  find  thorns  instead  of  roses  —  she  becomes  less 


72         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

attractive  —  she  is  your  wife  —  she  is  property  and 
declared  yours  by  the  bonds  of  contract. 

"  She  is  not  the  sweet,  innocent  mysterious  crea- 
ture of  your  wild  and  youthful  fancy." 

Cleve  was  bewildered.  It  was  evident  he  did 
not  believe  Newman  capable  of  painting  such  a 
vivid  picture  of  the  sacred  relation;  and  further- 
more, he  did  not  doubt  that  his  secretary  was  sin- 
cere in  what  he  said. 

"  You  teach  both  by  precept  and  by  example  ?  " 
Cleve  queried. 

"  Do  you  love  Marion  devotedly  ?  " 

"  I  do." 

:<  Then  if  you  wish  to  be  happy  forever,  remain 
as  sweethearts." 

"  Impossible !  " 

"  I  thought  so,"  jeered  Newman,  with  a  look  of 
grim  contempt.  "  My  doctrine  is  for  an  older  race 
and  a  future  time." 

The  younger  man  rose  as  if  to  go. 

"  Stay,  boy,"  said  Newman  with  fatherly  feeling 
in  his  voice,  "  don't  take  what  I  say  too  much  to 
heart.  I  love  you  and  I  am  a  bit  jealous.  In  this 
marriage  I  can  see  our  happy  days  —  our  own  joys 
of  being  together  gone  forever.  Try  as  hard  as 
you  may  it  will  never  seem  the  same  —  our 
dreams  —  our  prospects  —  the  big  business  —  the 
empire  of  Clevendors'  will  go,  for  this  young  wife 
will  be  inimical  to  anything  that  takes  your  time. 
Wait  awhile.  Put  it  off." 

"  Too  late,"  said  Cleve,  his  face  extremely  pale. 

"  Have  you  told  your  father  ?  " 

"  No.    But  I  am  sure  he  expects  it." 

"  What  I  have  long  expected  is  about  to  happen," 


A   CRUCIAL   MOMENT  73 

muttered  the  old  secretary.  "  I  am  pained  to  see 
the  young  genius  throw  his  life  away." 

"  Mr.  Newman,  I  came  to  get  you  to  make  the 
announcement.  It  is  to  be  in  the  nature  of  a  sur- 
prise for  the  guests,"  said  Cleve  excitedly. 

"  Come,"  he  continued  impatiently.  "  I  have 
consulted  Marion  and  her  mother,  they  think  it 
would  be  just  the  thing.  Marion  is  wondering  how 
long  the  sensation  will  last.  It  will  be  the  greatest 
event  of  the  season  and  it  will  set  the  society  of  the 
Clouds  to  talking.  Come,  I  have  tarried  too  long. 
They  will  be  waiting." 

"  I  would  rather  see  you  — "  he  stopped  short. 
"  No.  I  will  not  say  it.  It  is  impossible.  I  will 
not  make  the  announcement !  " 

"Mr.  Newman,  do  you  know  what  you  are  say- 
ing?" 

"  Perfectly.     I  speak  after  due  consideration." 

"  Then  —  "  he  paused  —  "  why  do  you  speak  as 
you  do  ?  " 

"  You  want  the  truth?  " 

"Yes  — tell  me." 

"  Because  the  woman  you  intend  to  marry  does 
not  love  you !  " 

"  What !  You  tell  me  this !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  I 
can  assure  you  had  this  news  come  from  lips  other 
than  yours  I  would  have  made  an  attempt  to  strike. 
Mr.  Newman,  your  word  has  been  your  bond,  but 
I  must  have  other  proof  before  I  can  accept  your 
statement.  In  as  much  as  you  do  not  favor  my 
marriage  I  think  you  would  do  most  anything  to 
prevent  it." 

"  Most  assuredly.  You  will  please  excuse  me. 
When  love  is  blind  what  more  can  be  expected?  I 


74         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

wave  aside  all  objections,  my  boy,  because  I  feel 
the  subject  is  too  delicate  to  be  discussed,  as  we  can 
only  argue  from  a  partisan  standpoint." 

"  Have  you  proof  or  suspicions  of  Marion's  in- 
fidelity? The  cause  or  intention  of  it?  I  demand 
you  to  tell  me  —  tell  me  as  you  would  —  as  if  I  was 
a  son  of  yours." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  speak  that  way.  It  is 
sensible,  and  I  will  ask  if  you  ever  entertained  the 
idea  that  she  loved  another  man  ?  " 

"  No.  I  have  not.  I  can't  understand  how  she 
could/' 

"  Did  you  know  she  had  met,  by  appointment, 
Mr.  Greyhouse,  since  she  has  been  visiting-  you? 
Did  you  know  that  on  the  night  you  met  Humanity 
she  was  with  him  at  the  Aerial  Cafe,  and  they  had 
their  meals  in  private  and  consumed  the  whole  time 
while  we  were  dispensing-  with  one  of  those  long 
drawn  out  midnight  dinners  ?  " 

"  No  impropriety.  Mrs.  Norton  was  along  and 
Greyhouse,  being  a  man  of  prominence,  it  was  but 
natural  they  should  seek  this  seclusion,"  he  an- 
swered somewhat  irritably. 

"  In  a  sense  this  action  was  excusable.  The 
whole  apartment,  boy,  was  just  as  private.  His 
identity  was  not  in  jeopardy  —  that  was  not  their 
motive.  She  simply  will  not  do.  She's  as  crafty 
and  sly  as  her  father  — '  a  chip  off  of  the  same  old 
block.'  " 

"No.  I  —  I  can't  believe  it.  Marion  is  as  true 
as  steel." 

"  Then  go  by  your  secret  passage  to  the  roof- 
garden,  and  you  will  find  your  intended  wife,  per- 
haps, in  the  arms  of  her  lover !  "  cried  Newman. 


A   CRUCIAL   MOMENT  75 

Cleve  rushed  madly  at  him  as  though  he  in- 
tended to  crush  every  bone  in  his  body. 

"  Strike !  Strike,  boy,  if  you  wish.  I  tell  you 
the  truth.  Read,"  he  said,  handing-  him  a  crumpled 
piece  of  paper. 

He  could  not  strike  or  read,  but  mad  and  blind 
with  rage  he  rushed  to  his  elevator  and  forced  it 
violently  to  the  garden.  Newman  remained  in  the 
room  sad  and  sorrowful. 

Among  the  flowers,  ferns,  benches,  fountains, 
trees  and  small  shrubbery  his  mind  became  more 
balanced  —  he  paused  in  his  mad  haste  —  fool ! 
that  he  was,  he  thought.  What  if  Marion  loved 
Greyhouse !  The  idea  of  her  deceiving  pained  him  ; 
and  had  a  dagger  been  sunken  deep  into  the  most 
vital  part  of  his  body  it  would  not  have  caused  him 
to  suffer  more  agony. 

Take  Newman's  advice  and  postpone  it  —  test 
her  more  —  for  this  was  a  lifetime  piece  of  business. 
Again  he  reasoned :  how  could  she  have  the  temer- 
ity to  meet  Greyhouse,  when  she  must  know  he 
would  be  seeking  her !  Newman  must  be  suspicious 
of  all  women.  His  years  in  the  courts  with  the 
panorama  of  crime  made  him  regard  humanity 
from  a  criminal  angle. 

On  a  bench  partly  hid  beneath  wild  running 
vines,  his  face  in  his  hands  and  gazing  between  his 
fingers  at  the  smooth  marble  floor  in  deep  thought, 
suddenly  he  heard  voices  as  if  some  one  was 
approaching.  He  looked  up  the  fern-bordered 
path  and  saw  a  couple  coming  in  his  direction,  talk- 
ing as  if  hopelessly  divided.  It  was  Marion  and 
Greyhouse,  and  he  decided  to  conceal  himself  be- 


76         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

hind  the  thick  foliage  near  the  bench.  The  tone  of 
each  indicated  they  were  quarreling. 

"  Let  us  be  seated,"  said  Greyhouse,  "  before  I 
leave  and  you  go  to  him." 

"  It  is  not  proper.  I  have  come  at  much  risk  and 
have,  so  far,  stayed  too  long." 

"Til  not  detain  you,"  he  said  stiffly.  "I  want 
to  know  if  you  are  —  " 

"  I  am,  Mr.  Greyhouse.  I  can't  marry  you. 
Don't  be  persistent  —  my  mind  is  fixed.  I  intend 
to  marry  Cleve." 

A  thousand  joys  went  through  every  fiber  of 
Cleve's  being  —  every  corpuscle  and  every  blood- 
vessel was  tossed  by  a  tempest  of  emotion.  He 
yearned  for  her.  Greyhouse  bit  his  lip;  a  dark, 
heavy  scowl  crossed  his  face. 

"  You  have  toyed  with  me,"  he  said,  speaking 
ugly.  "  I  am  not  to  be  disposed  of  so  easily.  I 
have  some  money  —  I  have  some  ambition ;  and 
while  I  have  accomplished  much,  I  still  expect  to 
rise  to  that  summit  which  is  the  greatest  honor 
within  the  gift  of  the  people." 

"  You  are  brilliant ;  and  I  at  one  time  loved 
you.  I  have  met  a  stronger  force,  to  it  I  have  been 
responsive  —  it  has  awakened  me." 

"  A  sly  and  clever  way  you  put  it." 

"  You  doubt  my  sincerity  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly,"  he  answered.  "  A  thing  grows 
on  that  on  which  it  feeds.  It  is  wealth,  power  and 
control  you  desire." 

"  Mr.  Greyhouse,  I  am  through,  and  I  have  noth- 
ing more  to  say  to  you.  I  risked  my  honor  by  see- 
ing you  at  the  Cafe,  and  for  which  mother  has  cen- 
sured me.  To-night,  should  Cleve  demand  an  ex- 


A    CRUCIAL    MOMENT  77 

planation,  it  would  be  difficult  to  satisfy.  If  you 
love  me,  as  you  say,  leave  me,  and  please  don't 
compromise  my  good  name." 

"  Your  intended  knows  we  are  to  meet  here  to- 
night/' he  answered  bitterly.  "  Mr.  Newman  has 
the  note  you  wrote  saying  you  would  keep  the  ap- 
pointment. I  sent  it  to  him  no  later  than  an  hour 
ago.  It  was  my  purpose  to  make  you  appear  in  a 
compromised  position  at  the  Cafe ;  and,  if  your 
fiance  has  not  heard  of  that  meeting  and  this  one, 
it  is  not  my  fault,  as  I  have  kept  Mr.  Newman 
fully  advised.  Now  I  shall  go ;  good-bye,"  he  said, 
forcing  an  ironical  laugh.  "  Shall  I  go  ?  " 

"  No !  You  shall  go  with  me  to  Cleve  and  ex- 
plain," she  said,  grasping  the  lapel  of  his  coat. 

"  No.  I  guess  not.  I  am  not  ready  to  be  a  target 
for  any  of  those  improved  guns.  I  have  now  ac- 
complished my  purpose.  I  will  let  you  suffer  the 
same  as  you  have  punished  me."  And  he  walked 
down  the  path  to  the  landing,  where  his  ship  was 
waiting. 

Cleve  heard  Marion  utter  a  low  moan,  and  saw 
her  swoon  to  the  floor.  He  parted  the  tangled  vines 
and  rushed  to  her  assistance  —  with  the  firm  belief 
that  she  loved  him,  and  Newman's  opinion  was 
erroneous  after  all. 


CHAPTER    X 
CLEVE'S  FIDELITY 

CLEVE  was  now  satisfied  —  he  had  seen  and 
heard  for  himself  —  he  vowed  if  the  whole  world 
be  false,  Marion  was  true  and  never  again  would 
he  allow  his  confidence  to  be  shaken. 

He  gathered  her  in  his  arms  from  where  she  had 
swooned  and  seized  a  'phone  on  the  back  of  the 
bench  and  summoned  the  Medical  Corps  from  the 
Clevendor's  Hospital.  Complying  with  instructions 
from  the  Physicians,  Marion  was  removed  to  her 
room. 

Cleve  and  Newman  were  very  busy  trying  to 
pacify  the  consternation  of  the  guests  during  the 
examination  and  diagnosis.  The  Head  Physician, 
with  all  the  persuasive  power  of  his  generous  na- 
ture, assured  them  that  Marion's  condition  was  not 
serious  and  no  occasion  for  alarm.  The  diagnosis 
was,  as  he  had  first  predicted,  and  that  she  had 
suddenly  expended  too  much  nerve  force,  and  as 
the  body  manufactured  the  necessary  amount  of 
human  electrical  substance,  she  would  be  her  nor- 
mal self. 

After  stimulants  had  been  administered,  Marion 
opened  her  eyes ;  but  was  still  delirious.  She 
seemed  to  recognize  Cleve,  and  said  in  a  half  co- 
herent way :  "  You  don't  believe  me  untrue  ?  I  am 
not !  I  swear  it !  "  She  closed  her  eyes  and  ap- 


CLEVE'S  FIDELITY  79 

peared  to  gasp  for  breath :  "  I  see  many  people !  " 
she  cried,  holding-  his  hand.  "  The  bands  are  play- 
ing —  the  crowds  are  shouting  —  I  am  about  to 
present  the  cup  to  you  in  honor  of  some  great 
achievement;  but  — "  she  stopped,  a  great  nerv- 
ousness enveloped  her  body :  "  I  see  a  bold  crea- 
ture —  she  has  broken  through  the  patrol  —  she  has 
taken  you  by  the  hand  —  she  is  talking  to  you  — 
you  smile  at  her  —  you  forget  me,"  she  stopped 
speaking  and  fell  back  in  the  bed  exhausted. 

When  she  revived  it  was  the  same  hysterical 
scene :  "  I  see  a  Court  Room  —  I  see  that  same 
woman  —  she  leads  a  red-headed  man  —  they  seem 
to  be  excited  —  they  leave  the  room  —  I  see  my 
father  and  Mr.  Greyhouse  fall  —  I  remember  see- 
ing this  woman  once  before  —  don't  marry  her, 
Cleve  —  I  am  true  —  I  love  you  —  you  should  not 
doubt  my  sincerity."  She  sank  again  into  uncon- 
sciousness. 

"Have  you  been  quarreling?"  asked  Mrs.  Nor- 
ton, her  face  troubled  and  worried.  The  girls 
crowded  around  and  demanded  an  explanation. 
"  No.  Ladies,  my  conscience  is  clear.  Do  you 
think  I  would  cause  her  all  of  this?  No.  It  was 
not  me ;  it  was  Greyhouse !  "  he  answered  vehe- 
mently. 

"  Greyhouse !  "  they  voiced. 

"  Yes  —  here  to-night.  I  heard  them  fussing. 
She  wanted  him  to  explain  something.  He  refused, 
and  I  picked  her  up  in  this  awful  condition." 

;<  The  dog!  "  said  Mrs.  Norton. 

"  She  is  innocent,"  defended  Cleve. 

"  I  shall  not  forget  this  act  of  kindness,"  re- 
turned Mrs.  Norton. 


80         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Or  the  rest  of  us,  either,"  voiced  the  guests. 

"  This  explains,"  put  in  the  Doctor,  who  had  re- 
mained with  the  nurse,  "  the  expenditure  of  her 
nervous  supply." 

"  But  the  scenes  she  describes  ? "  asked  Mrs. 
Norton. 

"  Hysteria  is  what  some  Doctors  would  call  it," 
he  answered;  "  but  I  am  of  the  opinion  she  has  just 
had  a  glimpse  of  the  future.  You  see,  when  the 
objective  faculties  are  not  working  or  have  re- 
sponded to  sleep,  the  subconscious  mind  is  awake. 
While  in  this  condition  she  could  only  receive  those 
mental  impressions.  The  objective  mind  must  be 
dormant  and  the  subconscious  faculties  must  be 
conscious  before  she  could  produce  those  scenes  so 
clearly  and  so  vividly.  She  will  awake  in  a  few 
minutes  and  doubtless  will  not  be  able  to  tell  what 
she  has  seen." 

He  continued :  "  I  have  often  heard  of  such  re- 
markable cases,  but  it  has  never  been  my  lot  to 
attend  one.  This  young  lady  has  wonderful 
psychic  powers;  a  power  that  is  said  to  be  more 
prominent  in  women  than  in  men ;  however,  this 
is  purely  speculative,  and  as  it  happens  beyond  the 
border  of  concrete  things  we  have  more  fiction  than 
truth.  This  case  is  Occult  in  nature;  it  is  beyond 
the  power  of  medicine,  and  I  can  only  deduct  my 
knowledge  from  hastily  drawn  conclusions  and  not 
from  any  earnest  thought  of  the  subject." 

"  Is  her  case  serious  ?  "  asked  Mrs.  Norton,  still 
very  anxious. 

"  There  is  no  immediate  danger,"  he  responded, 
to  the  great  delight  of  all,  except  possibly  New- 
man, who,  if  affected,  had  not  let  it  be  known  by 


CLEVE'S  FIDELITY  81 

any  outward  expression.  He  had  taken  a  stand 
unfamiliar  to  the  guests,  and  it  would  be  for  his 
own  good  to  maintain  silence.  Cleve  looked  at  him, 
but  he  purposely  avoided  the  encounter,  and  as 
Marion  showed  signs  of  regaining  consciousness 
he  left  the  room.  The  Doctor  ordered  all  retire, 
save  Cleve  and  Mrs.  Norton. 

As  the  nurse  was  removing  the  iced  towel  from 
her  face,  she  opened  her  eyes  in  a  startled  and  be- 
wildered way. 

Mrs.  Norton,  anxious  to  relieve  her  mind,  said: 
"  My  child,  you  have  not  been  dreaming.  You 
have  fainted,  and  it  is  all  over." 

"  Oh,  mother !  it  sounds  good  to  hear  your 
voice,"  said  Marion ;  "  I  was  beginning  to  think 
something  had  happened  to  me  —  finding  myself  in 
bed  with  Doctor  and  nurse  around."  Cleve  was  in 
the  background,  but  now  came  forward  to  offer  his 
regret  for  this  affair.  She  recognized  him  and 
turned  and  buried  her  face  in  the  pillow,  sobbing. 
"  My  boy,"  assured  the  Doctor,  a's  he,  Mrs.  Nor- 
ton and  nurse  were  withdrawing  from  the  room, 
"  you  can  do  her  more  good  than  all  the  medicine 
in  the  world." 

"  It  grieves  me  to  hear  you  suffer  this  way,"  he 
said. 

"  You  believe  me  to  be  a  horrid  —  I  can't  blame 
you.  It's  best  to  leave  me.  You  can  never  forgive 
this  seeming  breach  of  trust ! " 

"  Marion,  please  don't  —  please  don't  —  you  hurt 
me.  I  forgive  all  —  I  forgive,  for  there's  nothing 
to  forgive.  I  still  know  you  are  the  prettiest,  the 
best  and  the  dearest  little  girl  in  all  the  wide,  wide 
world." 


82         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

She  lay  still  —  the  beautiful  form  was  motionless 

—  the  sobs  ceased  and  not  a  sound  came  from  the 
prostrate  figure  before  him.     Presently  she  moved 

—  turned  her  face  to  him  —  her  eyes  yet  dimmed 
with    tears  —  her   cheeks   burning-   with   fever  —  a 
faint  smile  hovered  about  the  corners  of  her  mouth, 
and  asked  with  a  tremulous  voice :  "  You  don't  be- 
lieve me  untrue  ?  " 

"  To  doubt  you  would  be  to  doubt  life  itself." 
"  You  don't  believe  me  untrue  ?  "  she  continued. 
"  You  are  innocent  —  you  have  proved  yourself 

—  you    have    been    sorely    tried  —  you    have    been 
weighed  in  the  balance  —  you  have  taken  the  initia- 
tive in  this  matter  and  have  done  well.    I  am  thank- 
ful —  I  am  satisfied  —  and  if  there  is  anything  un- 
said, that  will  help  lift  this  loathsome  cloud  that 
has  been  harassing  and  hanging  over  your  plastic 
mind,  consider  that  I  have  said  them;   and  with  all 
the  fervor  of  a  Celtic  wooer,  and  with  the  earnest 
desire  to  remove  the  hideous  monster  that  is  re- 
sponsible for  this  nervous  prostration." 

"  I  have  had  nervous  prostration  ?  "  she  asked. 

"A  light  attack  and  all  because  of  Greyhouse." 

"  I'll  not  see  him  again  !    I  hate  him !  "  she  cried. 

"  Will  you  promise  me  one  thing  ?  " 

"  Yes.     Everything,"  she  answered. 

"  Please  try  and  go  to  sleep." 

"  I  promise,"  and  without  a  response  she  closed 
her  eyes  and  he  tucked  the  cover  round  about  her 
and  left  the  room. 


CHAPTER    XI 

THE    STRANGE    VISITOR 

CLEVE  entered  his  office  the  next  morning- 
troubled  and  perplexed  —  his  mind  in  a  turmoil  — 
his  thoughts  racing  pro  and  con  —  his  nerves 
jumped  and  jerked  —  any  sudden  sound  or  noise 
almost  precipitated  him  into  distraction.  He  gave 
his  orders  in  such  an  irritable  way  that  his  assist- 
ants soon  discovered  something  unusual  had 
crossed  his  path. 

He  mapped  an  abbreviated  program  for  the  day, 
but  he  was  so  uncertain  of  himself  that  he  had 
Newman  go  over  it  with  him  in  detail.  The  humble 
laborer  knew  when  he  was  in  his  office  —  knew  he 
was  ready  for  results  —  and  knew  when  he  pushed 
the  lever  that  sent  millions  of  men  to  work  and 
billions  of  tons  of  iron  to  moving. 

Indeed,  he  enjoyed  the  deference  —  the  esteem 
of  his  men,  and  old  Cyclops  (the  mighty  Titan  of 
the  skies)  who  caused  the  roaring  behind  the  clouds 
and  made  the  lightning  flash  and  the  thunder  cease 
at  will,  which  awed  the  ancient  Greeks,  —  would 
have  turned  green  with  envy. 

Now  he  had  conquered  —  he  was  not  satisfied  — 
like  unto  Alexander  he  looked  about  for  other 
worlds  to  conquer.  He  stopped  with  an  abruptness 
in  the  midst  of  his  work.  He  had  captured  the 


84         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

natural  world,  he  thought,  and  Marion  had  prom- 
ised to  be  his  wife.  What  more  could  he  ask? 

He  pondered  over  her  dream  and  her  vision  — 
this  woman  called  Humanity,  who  was  to  play  an 
important  part  in  their  future  life?  The  thought 
maddened  him.  The  idea  of  this  woman  —  Chris- 
tian —  believer  of  dreams  of  the  dark  past  —  fol- 
lower of  the  mad  man  called  Christ  (a  very  un- 
reasonable and  most  improbable  cerature).  —  A  be- 
gotten son  of  God,  who  was  supposed  to  come 
again  and  reform  the  world  in  one  common 
brotherhood:  to  take  his  property  —  his  inventions 
—  his  improvements  —  the  product  of  his  own 
brain  and  make  it  the  general  possession  of  the 
common  herd.  He  sneered,  "  preposterous."  He 
recognized  no  God  —  he  saw  no  justice  —  no  wis- 
dom —  nothing  but  devastation  and  ruin. 

"  Who  could  worship  an  unjust  God?"  he  asked 
himself,  as  his  thoughtful  contempt  found  expres- 
sion in  words.  "  Who  could  have  any  respect  for 
those  Temples  and  Churches  that  taught  the  doc- 
trine of  the  '  dead  and  superstitious  past  ?  '  '  Whose 
High  Priest  hovers  like  owls  on  the  limbs  of  tradi- 
tion/ and  as  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  once  said, 
'  Hooting  the  same  old  hoots  of  centuries/ '' 

While  he  attributed  little  merit  to  dreams  or 
visions,  this  delirium  of  Marion's  seemed  to  haunt 
him.  He  could  not  understand  —  he  would  go  to 
Newman.  His  secretary  could  decipher  most  any 
illusion,  or  at  least,  could  shed  some  light  on  the 
cause  or  production  of  supernatural  condition. 

The  hour  was  near  ten  and  during  the  morning1 
he  had  not  heard  from  Marion.  He  wondered  if 
it  would  be  a  digression  to  call  for  her,  but  de- 


THE   STRANGE   VISITOR  85 

cided  it  would  be  best  to  talk  to  Mrs.  Norton, 
which  he  did,  and  was  informed  that  while  Marion 
was  resting  reasonably  well  it  was  deemed  wise  not 
to  get  up. 

The  outer  bell  rang,  and  the  hall  boy,  without 
ceremony,  ushered  into  his  astonished  presence 
none  other  than  this  strange  and  mysterious  Hu- 
manity. 

Cleve  extended  his  hand,  saying,  "  I  am  glad  to 
see  you  again.  I  thought  from  the  experience  of 
the  night  of  your  accident  you  would  not  venture 
here  again." 

A  deep  red  mounted  her  cheeks  —  a  buoyant 
smile,  joyous  with  life,  laughter  and  song  —  would 
have  obtained  an  audience  in  all  kinds  of  opposition. 

"  I  am  pleased  beyond  question  —  surprised  to  an 
extent — and  half  mad  I  had  not  called  before. 
Had  I  known  this/'  she  added,  extending  her  dainty 
gloved  hand,  tossing  her  pretty  head,  she  bantered, 
"  I  almost  forget  —  we  are  enemies,  you  know  ?  " 

"  I  like  them/'  he  said ;  "  they  make  me  realize  I 
am  living." 

"  I  create  life,  then  ?  Some  accuse  me  of  des- 
troying it." 

"  An  unjust  accusation — " 

"  Your  henchmen  complimented  me." 

"  I'll  discharge  them,"  he  assured. 

"  No.  Let  them  earn  their  money ;  their  accusa- 
tions, true  or  not,  keep  me  in  the  '  Limelight/  I 
would  prefer  them  saying  something  mean  about 
me,  rather  than  nothing  at  all." 

"You  were  late  in  your  appointment,  the  night 
of  the  accident  ?  "  he  questioned,  changing  the  sub- 
ject. 


86         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Yes,"  she  agreed.  Now  there  was  a  tinge  of 
sarcasm  in  her  words.  "  Other  causes,  too,  of 
which  you  are  familiar,  were  very  important  in  our 
detention.  Our  acquaintance  dates  from  them,  and 
that  evening  I  discovered,  as  I  have  thought,  the 
industry  of  the  world  to-day  is  dominated  by  the 
spirit  of  the  undeveloped  savage.  Beneath  the 
thin  veil  of  education  I  saw  the  groping  barbarian, 
his  bloody  club,  and  the  man  animal  of  some  an- 
cient yesterday. 

:<  You,"  she  went  on  sardonically,  "  were  that 
man;  you  were  that  groping  barbarian,  because 
you  pretended  to  do  right,  but  failed  in  your  pur- 
pose. Your  bloody  club  is  your  industry  which 
you  used  on  your  fellow  man.  You  are  a  man  ani- 
mal because  you  detained  my  friend  and  myself 
until  we  missed  our  appointment,  which  I  can  ex- 
cuse, as  it  was  but  a  revealed  spirit  of  the  dark  and 
bloody  age." 

"  My  dear  madam,  be  seated.  These  kind  com- 
pliments have  fatigued  you.  I  must  confess  your 
depiction  of  me  is  beyond  the  present  day  char- 
acter delineators.  I  am  really  astonished  at  your 
remarkable  knowledge." 

With  a  faint  smile  about  her  lips  she  took  the 
proffered  chair  with  such  ease  and  grace  that  her 
freedom:  put  him  at  no  little  discomfiture.  She 
went  on  amused,  "  Young  fellow,  I  am  afraid  you 
are  working  too  hard  of  late." 

Her  question  astonished  him.  She  was  another 
creature,  not  the  one  he  met  on  his  roof -garden, 
he  thought. 

"  You  were  thinking  of  marrying,"  she  continued. 
"  Foolishness.  Forget  it.  That  bit  of  breath  and 


THE  STRANGE   VISITOR  87 

clay,  a  wife?  Impossible!  You  want  an  heir;  but 
the  House  of  Clevendor  will  not  stand." 

"Woman,  who  are  you?"  he  asked.  "Prophet- 
ess —  Sorceress  —  Bearer  of  Witchcraft  or  what  ?  " 

"  I  am  neither.  I  am  only  one  of  the  millions 
of  vibrating  egos  with  an  altruistic  and  vivacious 
nature.  I  can  see  you  barbarians  of  the  skies  fight 
with  savage  desperation  to  retain  your  ancient 
heritage.  (The  mills  of  the  Gods  grind  slowly  and 
surely  to  your  inevitable  demolition.)  Your  em- 
ployed defenders  imported  from  the  dark  corners 
of  the  globe  cannot  save  your  institutions  —  thanks 
to  wisdom  and  justice.  You  inflated  ignoramuses 
cannot  keep  civilization  within  the  narrow  confines 
of  jungled  walls;  but,  my  dear  sir,  'truth  is 
mightier  than  the  sword/  and  — 

"  If  you  mean  to  lecture  me  I  prefer  to  attend 
one  at  some  other  time,"  he  interrupted. 

"-•I  would  be  honored,"  she  said,  languishing  her 
vehement  looks  and  softening  her  words.  "I  —  I 
came  to  tell  you  I  was  going  away.  I  wanted  to 
thank  you  for  the  way  you  treated  us  the  night  of 
the  accident." 

"  Not  at  all,"  he  assured. 

"  I  wanted  to  make  an  honest  statement  —  " 

"  I  will  listen  to  what  you  say." 

"We  tried  to  make  a  general  strike,  but  found 
you  too  strongly  entrenched  behind  your  parapet 
that  all  the  agitators  in  the  world  could  do  you  no 
harm.  Suddroff,  Binger  and  myself  came  here  to 
tie  up  your  industry.  We  thought  we  had  been 
successful  when  we  saw  the  men  walk  out;  but, 
as  there  were  thousands  of  unemployed  ready  to 
take  their  places  they  refused  to  remain  loyal  and 


88         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

see  the  product  of  their  own  folly  appropriated  by 
others.  The  contest  was  so  brief  it  was  hardly  any 
contest  at  all,  and  now  you  are  still  unhurt  and  the 
C.  F.  &  D.  continues  merrily  on." 

"  I  am  not  surprised  at  your  frank  statement.  If 
all  people  were  as  good  as  you,  I  don't  believe  we 
would  need  any  law  —  we  would  be  as  brothers 
and  sisters,"  he  paused  a  moment,  then  continued, 
"  Trade  unions  are  a  good  thing  as  long  as  they 
stay  in  the  social  stage,  but  when  they  go  beyond  it 
they  are  out  of  their  jurisdiction.  They  become  a 
class  Autocracy  when  they  try  to  run  the  Manu- 
facturers' business.  Trades-people  are  poor  people 
—  they  have  nothing  to  sell  but  their  labor.  The 
Manufacturer  is  the  principal  buyer  of  it.  The 
whole  proposition  assumes  a  farcical  phase  when 
the  product  (Labor)  tries  to  dictate  to  the  buyer 
(Manufacturer).  When  it  comes  to  a  crucial  test 
the  Manufacturer  can  say  to  the  Unions,  '  Work 
for  me  at  my  terms  or  suffer  the  consequences.' 
And  if  it  comes  to  that  it  does  not  take  a  philos- 
opher to  foretell  the  result." 

"  You  are  right.  Trades-unions  are  imperfect ; 
they  are  found  wanting,"  she  admitted. 

"  If  I  have  to  ask  the  union-people  if  I  can  run 
my  business,  I  will  close  it  down;  and  who  is  to 
say  I  shall  not  do  as  I  wish  with  my  property  ?  " 

"  When  it  comes  to  this  I  think  it  is  time  for 
the  Trades-Union-People  to  own  that  business," 
she  answered.  "  There  is  only  one  of  two  ways, 
either  the  Manufacturer  must  own  his  business  or 
the  Trades-Union-People,  through  the  Government, 
must  own  it." 

"You  are  about  right,"  he  said,  slowly.     "You 


THE   STRANGE   VISITOR  89 

are  choosing  the  proper  course.  If  it  is  right  for 
the  Manufacturer  to  own  his  business,  it  is  right 
to  let  him  operate  it  as  he  sees  fit;  and,  if  the 
Trades-Union-People  have  a  right,  through  the 
Government,  to  dictate  to  the  Manufacturer,  then 
they  have  a  right  to  own.  And,  if  they  have  a  right 
to  meddle  and  try  to  regulate,  they  may  as  well 
own.  If  I  can't  have  my  own  way,  the  Trades- 
Union-People  can  take  the  whole  thing  and  go  to 
.  .  ."  he  paused,  throwing  up  his  hands.  "  If  the 
principle  is  wrong  on  a  large  scale,  it's  wrong  on 
a  small  one.  Wrong  is  not  right  and  right  is  not 
wrong,  every  day  in  the  week  and  every  week  in 
the  year." 

"  You  display  much  knowledge  on  this  subject," 
she  said. 

"  You  thought  we  Clouddwellers  were  a  bit  in- 
flated, didn't  you  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly,  but  only  inclined.  You  can  make 
yourself  believe  any  course  is  right  if  you  will  dis- 
regard your  conscience." 

"  Yes,  I  agree  with  you." 

"  It's  just  a  mere  matter  of  sentiment.  When 
the  time  for  you  to  relinquish  your  hold  upon  this 
world  comes  you  will  gladly  do  so.  In  fact,  your 
business  will  not  be  a  source  of  pleasure,  and  you 
will  give  it  up  willingly;  however,  this  depends 
upon  how  soon  you  get  your  eyes  opened." 

"  I  will  never  suffer  my  business  to  be  governed 
by  Mobocracy  —  the  spirit  of  the  mob.  I  am  op- 
posed to  the  Initiative,  Referendum  and  Recall, 
and  therefore,  I  will  not,  if  I  can  help  it,  let  it  rage 
like  a  mad  bull  through  the  Government.  This 
institution  will  never  be  managed  by  a  lot  of  ras- 


90         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

callions !  Who  would  be  riding  into  power  on  the 
riff-raff,  tag-rag  and  canaille  spirit.  I  can  see 
these  gaffers,  bacon-chawers  and  the  scum  of  crea- 
tion grinning  their  loutish  brutish  scorn.  I  can 
hear  their  loud  guffaws,  and  smell  the  odor  of 
cinder-wenches,  as  these  muckworms  worm  their 
way  from  their  dung-hills.  Born  within  the  sty-pen 
this  swinish  multitude,  drunken  with  new  liberties, 
would  drag  through  the  mire  this  glorious  civiliza- 
tion and  pull  it  back  upon  the  dirt  heap.  Horrors ! 
I  can  see  Suddroff's  beggarly  looking  face  mock- 
ing me  as  he  pulls  these  levers." 

He  reflected  for  a  moment,  then  continued,  "  No. 
Human  nature  to-day  is  only  a  few  steps  from  the 
savage  stage,  as  you  have  said ;  but,  while  you  see 
me  one  savage,  I  see  millions  in  the  Pit.  I  agree 
that  the  world  to-day  is  dominated  by  the  passions 
of  the  jungle.  Even  the  women  of  to-day,  their 
wants  and  desires  are  not  very  far  above  their  sis- 
ters of  an  ancient  yesterday.  Your  dream  of  a 
Heaven  on  earth  is  very  noble;  but  human  nature 
will  have  to  be  changed.  I  would  favor  your 
Utopia,  if  all  the  people  were  as  good  as  you  ap- 
pear to  be." 

"  It  has  been  my  wish  to  make  them  so,"  she 
said,  bowing  profusely.  "  My  hopes  have  been 
centered  on  you  for  the  first  one.  You  are  hope- 
less, and  from  now  on  I  shall  use  force  where  per- 
suasion has  failed.  I  am  bound  for  the  Metropolis ; 
there  to  concentrate  our  forces  for  the  final  over- 
throw of  you  Clouddwellers ;  then,  if  we  are  suc- 
cessful at  the  next  election,  your  operations  will  be 
a  matter  of  so  many  days  —  that  is,  if  you  are  ob- 
stinate and  show  fight." 


THE   STRANGE   VISITOR  91 

"  That  I'll  do  —  do,  if  I  have  to  take  to  the  field 
in  the  defense  of  my  property,"  he  returned,  em- 
phatically. 

"  You  are  aware  of  the  danger  of  this  step  ? 
You  are  informed  of  the  millions  of  Pitdwellers, 
who  welcome  your  death  ?  You  know  all  of  this  ?  " 

"  I  may  be  marked  by  your  class  in  the  East, 
which  I  presume  is  the  case  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  it  does  not  take  a  very  bright  person 
to  see  by  your  and  your  father's  removal  these 
vast  holdings  would  become  escheat  —  there  would 
be  no  heir  —  consequently,  they  would  revert  to  the 
government  and  become  the  property  of  the  people. 
The  Pitdwellers  are  not  Anarchists,  but  they  are 
Anarchists  enough  to  remove  two  persons,  if  by 
their  removal  it  becomes  necessary.  I  saw  this 
state  of  affairs  long  ago,  and  spent  much  wealth  in 
building  a  great  cosmopolitan  palace  in  Murd's 
row,  to  avoid  this  very  thing." 

He  shivered  at  the  name  of  Murd.  That  name 
always  made  the  Clouddwellers  tremble  in  horror 
and  dread.  Murd  (himself)  had  been  and  was  a 
leader  of  a  mysterious  secret  organization,  organ- 
ized originally  for  promoting  all  that  was  good  for 
society,  but  was  now  operated  extensively  for  the 
purpose  of  intimidation  and  radical  propagandism. 
It  was  a  Pitdwellers'  organization  —  criminal  in  na- 
ture—  and  bound  by  an  oath  that  swore  by  the 
Murds. 

"  You  live  and  dwell  in  that  place  ?  "  he  asked, 
dumbfounded. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  not  abashed,  "  I  am  the 
right  hand  bower.  Murd  as  king,  and  Suddroff 
second  in  authority.  A  loathsome  trio?" 


92         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Horrors !  Murd  and  murder  are  synony- 
mous !  "  he  cried.  "  And  you  ?  —  Impossible  ! 
"  Yes,  she  must  be  smudged,"  he  decided,  "  the 
smudge  of  that  slimy  impetiginous  Pit  was  upon 
her.  She  was  a  repulsive,  acrimonious  thing.  My 
dear  Madam,  I  am  very  busy,  I  must  say  good  day." 

"What  if  I  don't  go?"  she  returned. 

"  As  a  lady,  I  hope  you  will.  If  not,  then  I'll  not 
deal  with  you  as  such,"  he  declared. 

"  My  dear  sir,  I  can't  feel  as  if  I  have  been  in- 
sulted. Your  words  can't  hurt  my  feelings  any 
more  than  if  a  dog  should  growl  at  my  approach. 
I  only  take  your  command  to  go  —  not  in  the  sense 
of  an  insult  —  but  as  an  earnest  request  from  a  soul 
that  is  weary  and  wants  rest.  Good-bye,  Mr. 
Cle vendor ;  remember  your  friend,  Humanity  of 
Murd's  row,  Humanity  of  the  Pit,  is  your  friend." 


CHAPTER    XII 

THE  ARRIVAL   OF   LORD   SUMMERSOUTH 

"  THAT  woman !  "  Cleve  muttered,  as  Humanity 
left  the  room,  "  there's  something  about  her  that 
makes  me  admire  her,  even  though  she  be  very 
radical."  Her  oddity  and  strange  ideas  would  pre- 
clude the  thought  of  her  as  a  suitable  friend.  Being 
wholly  out  of  harmony  and  unreconcilable  to  such 
a  thought  he  regarded  it  with  much  repugnance; 
however,  if  she  had  had  the  same  degree,  standard 
or  ratio  of  feeling  —  if  their  minds  had  been  of  the 
same  human  pitch  —  tuned  to  life  —  then  they 
could  have  walked  with  ease  in  the  same  sphere 
without  her  sending  cold  uncongenial  chills  for  a 
pastime  up  and  down  his  spinal  column. 

There  might  have  been  something  commensur- 
able, he  thought;  but  to  characterize  the  element 
of  harmony  of  congenial  natures  must  be  one  com- 
mon thought  —  no  visible  oasis  in  the  desert  sepa- 
rating the  opposing  factions;  still,  contrary  to  an 
expression  from  himself,  she  had  persisted  in  want- 
ing to  be  his  friend. 

In  her  blue  eyes  he  saw  something  akin  to  dan- 
ger; but  somehow  they  impressed  him.  He 
thought,  to  possess  them  must  mean  to  live  in  a 
new  land  —  to  breathe  a  different  atmosphere  —  to 
talk  in  another  tongue  —  to  meet  strange  people; 


94         HUMANITY    AND    THE    L1YSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

but,  yea,  verily,  it  meant  the  giv;ng  up  of  Marion 
—  he  could  not  and  would  not.  No.  He  must  not 
think  of  it  —  he  must  not  see  this  woman,  called 
Humanity,  again  —  he,  perhaps,  had  overstepped 
his  latitude  the  night  of  the  accident,  when  he, 
more  from  idle  curiosity  than  any  serious  intent, 
had  detained  her. 

Now  he  regretted  his  action  of  that  night;  be- 
cause, after  thoroughly  digesting  the  matter  he  had 
come  to  the  conclusion,  notwithstanding  the  old 
German's  silence  and  Humanity's  pretended  deten- 
tion against  their  will,  that  the  visit  was  a  pre- 
arranged affair.  It  was  a  sly  trick  of  Humanity's 
intelligence. 

In  their  conversation  she  admitted  their  opera- 
tions had  been  nothing  short  of  failure  —  the  men 
refused  to  maintain  the  strike  —  they  were  becom- 
ing desperate  —  also,  she  had  expressed  surprise 
when  she  found  him  so  accessible.  He  began  to 
think. 

She  was  going  back  East,  and  for  the  time  he 
would  be  rid  of  her.  He  thought  of  the  message 
the  day  previous  requesting  he  and  Newman  come 
to  the  Metropolis.  What  did  it  mean?  Did  it 
have  any  relation  to  this  woman's  talk?  Was  his 
father  and  Norton  fearful  of  some  kind  of  social 
eruption?  He  realized  there  was  something  com- 
ing, and  it  would.  He  was  beginning  to  agree  with 
Newman  —  "  It's  coming  —  coming  sure  as  fate !  " 

Marion  having  sufficiently  recovered  to  travel, 
the  guests  prepared  to  take  their  leave.  Cleve  de- 
cided as  soon  as  he  could  arrange  he  would  follow 
them.  The  idea  of  Marion  being  away  with  Grey- 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF   LORD    SUMMERSOUTH  95 

house  near  to  press  his  suit  was  distasteful  to  him ; 
however,  he  knew  she  didn't  love  that  Politician. 

And  more  than  once  during  these  thoughts  he 
thought  of  giving  up  his  business  as  these  wishes 
continued  to  harass  him  —  quit  and  be  with  her 
always  was  the  strong  arguments  he  had  to  meet 
up  and  down;  but  he  finally  determined  to  fight 
it  out  and  not  be  a  quitter  as  he  had  accused  New- 
man. 

Soon  after  Marion's  convalescence  the  pink  of 
health  again  predominated  her  cheeks  —  the  day  of 
departure  had  arrived  —  Cleve  stood  in  the  door  of 
her  boudoir  to  say  good-bye.  As  he  stood  there  he 
could  see  the  dainty  Misses  Windsthurs,  with  their 
blonde  faces  and  sunny  smiles,  and  the  mischievous 
Miss  Delainey.  They  were  talking  rapidly  and 
moving  hurriedly  to  and  fro  from  the  recess  rooms 
and  alcoves  that  joined  their  apartments  to  the 
parlor. 

Miss  Delainey  was  directing  the  porters  and 
maids  in  their  work  with  the  luggage,  and  for  some 
cause  the  movement  of  trunks  seemed  to  be  an  ob- 
ject of  no  small  importance,  as  all  hands  were  busy 
shoving  the  conglomerated  mess  to  the  transfer. 
They  were  moved  with  much  expenditure  of 
muscle  as  though  weighted  with  lead,  and  they  and 
their  movements  could  be  readily  likened  unto  the 
antics  of  inmates  of  some  insane  asylum. 

The  situation  was  soon  explained  by  Miss  Jack- 
son who  appeared  on  the  scene  with  a  strange, 
stately  individual  whose  every  move  and  expres- 
sion stamped  him,  unmistakably,  a  gentleman  of 
foreign  birth.  Judging  from  the  tone  of  conversa- 
tion, Cleve  surmised  that  he  had  arrived  unan- 


96         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

nounced,  and  finding  the  girls  on  the  verge  of 
leaving,  evidenced,  by  his  expression,  his  disap- 
pointment because  he  had  not  come  sooner. 

Miss  Delainey  was  displeased.  The  inopportune 
arrival  had,  for  the  time,  stopped  the  movement  of 
equipage.  Trunks,  valises,  traveling-bags,  etc., 
had  been  ruthlessly  thrown  and  indiscriminately 
piled  in  one  congealed  mass.  Miss  Jackson,  the 
Windsthurs  sisters  and  the  tall  stranger  were  en- 
gaged in  an  animated  conversation  and  were  in  the 
way  of  the  movement  of  the  baggage.  Every- 
thing was  at  a  standstill  and  Miss  Delainey  grow- 
ing impatient  was  visibly  annoyed.  Her  arms 
akimbo  and  sleeves  turned  above  her  dimpled  el- 
bows, she  gave  orders  in  a  way  that  the  most  dicta- 
torial sea  captain  would  have  envied.  Cleve  heard 
her  shout,  "  Here  there,  Earl,  break  away,  grab 
holt,  make  yourself  useful  as  well  as  ornamental." 

The  gentleman  addressed,  bowed  somewhat  awk- 
wardly, while  the  black  eyes  of  Nell's  flashed.  The 
Windsthurs  sisters  tried  to  keep  a  serious  and  dig- 
nified composure,  but  their  assumed  tranquillity 
was  dispelled  when  faint  smiles  and  smothered 
"  te-he's "  came  from  their  direction.  Miss  De- 
lainey poised,  her  arms  resting  on  her  hips,  her 
head  in  an  authoritative  and  peremptory  degree 
convinced  she  was  born  to  command,  and  had  she 
ascended  a  throne  of  a  Gynecocratic  Government, 
she  would  have  ruled  in  absolute  despotism. 

"You  think  I  am  the  maid,  the  servant,"  she 
continued.  "  I  will  show  you  '  Who's  who '  around 
here !  I'll  put  you  all  in  irons  !  Now,  move  on !  " 

"  By    Jove,    you're    a    devilish    charming    little 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF   LORD    SUMMERSOUTH  97 

angel  .  .  .  er,  I  might  say  cherub,  don't  'er  know. 
But  I  haven't  the  pleasure  of  —  " 

"  I  beg  pardon,  Mr.  Summer  south,"  said  Miss 
Jackson.  "  I  am  sure  you  think  we  Americans  are 
very  forgetful.  This  is  Miss  Delainey,  Lord  Sum- 
mersouth." 

The  Englishman  acknowledged  the  introduction 
very  politely. 

"  You  are  dashing,  very  different  in  ways  and 
respects,  too  numerous  to  mention,  from  our  Eng- 
lish ladies." 

Cleve  could  see  and  hear  without  being  detected, 
and  from  the  situation  he  concluded  this  new  man 
must  be  a  titled  European. 

"  Earl,  present  company  '  is  always  accepted/ 
and  you  forget  your  mother  was  an  American,"  he 
heard  Miss  Delainey  say. 

"  You  question  the  sincerity  of  that  statement  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no.  We  believe,  we  believe  because  you 
said  it.  Don't  we,  girls  ?  " 

The  girls  affirmed  in  chorus  Miss  Delainey's 
statement. 

"  You're  devilish  funny,  '  don't  'er  know.'  You 
freeze  —  you  burn  —  you  thrill  and  sweep  by 
storm.  How  ridiculously  stupid  we  Englishmen 
must  appear  to  you  vivacious  Americans  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Earl,  quit  your  kidding,  you  are  half 
American  yourself.  You're  a  brick.  Come  now, 
grab  holt  and  growl.  We  must  rush  if  we  get  to 
hear  May  tine  Carry  sing  to-night,"  was  Dimple 
Delainey's  reply. 

The  Lord  addressing  Nell :  "  Do  you  intend  go- 
ing, too?" 

"  Yes ;   but  you  can  go  also." 


98         HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Really,  by  Jove,  I  can't  accept.  I  have  im- 
portant matter  to  discuss  with  Mr.  Clevendor.  I 
shall  follow  soon."  Cleve  wondered  what  was  the 
nature  of  his  business. 

"  Then,  you  won't  go  ?  "  she  pouted,  appearing 
displeased. 

"  Honestly.  I  prefer  to  accompany  you.  Busi- 
ness before  pleasure,  don't  'er  know." 

She  growing  mad :  "  Anyway,  we  —  or  I,  will 
be  glad  to  see  you  at  your  earliest." 

At  this  juncture  the  door  of  Marion's  apartment 
opened.  Mrs.  Norton  appeared  and  apologized  to 
Cleve  for  keeping  him  waiting.  He  entered  the 
room  and  found  Marion  fresh  and  the  picture  of 
health.  The  rest  and  medical  attention  had 
wrought  wonders  —  she  was  gloved  and  the  maid 
was  almost  through  packing  her  trunk.  He  told 
them  of  the  new  arrival  and  the  "  time  "  the  girls 
were  having  with  him,  and  added  in  response  to  a 
query,  "  I  understood  his  name  to  be  Lord  Summer- 
south," 

"  Jackie's  friend  ?  "  put  in  Marion. 

"  Yes,  Lord  Summersouth,"  said  Mrs.  Norton. 
"  I  knew  his  mother,  and,  Marion,  I  am  sure  you 
have  heard  me  speak  of  Gertrude  Jefferson." 

"  Quite  often.  You  told  me  she  was  very  pretty 
and  accomplished." 

"  She  is  the  mother  of  this  young  man.  He  is 
the  descendant  of  an  old  aristocratic  American 
family  and  is  of  noble  English  birth  as  well.  His 
mother  was  the  '  raging  beauty '  of  two  continents 
in  her  day,  and  I  want  to  meet  him.  We  must 
insist  that  he  visit  us  while  in  the  States." 

"  Jackie  may  object,"  suggested  Marion. 


THE   ARRIVAL  OF   LORD    SUMMERSOUTH  99 

"  She  ought  to  feel  proud  and  be  thankful  for 
us  to  entertain  him.  The  Jackson  family  is  having 
a  hard  time  keeping  up  appearances  here  of  late. 
I  understand  they  have  met  with  some  reverses." 

"  I  presume  the  Englishman  is  not  aware  of 
this  ?  "  put  in  Cleve. 

"  No.     Mr.  Norton  told  me  last  night." 

"  Poor  Nell,"  cried  Marion,  "  the  blow,  the 
humiliation  will  kill  her.  What  will  she  do?  To 
the  Pit.  Horrors!  What  will  become  of  her? 
Poor  girl !  " 

"  Marry  the  Earl.  That  will  save  her,"  con- 
soled Cleve. 

"If  she  has  no  money?  Will  it  be  a  bargain?" 
asked  Mrs.  Norton. 

"  If  money  is  what  he's  after,  he's  a  scoundrel." 

"  Cleve  !  "  exclaimed  Marion. 

"  Yes.  And  more,  too.  She  could  teach  voice, 
give  music  lessons,  go  on  the  stage,  or  anything  in 
preference  to  selling  herself  like  that." 

"She  would  then  be  working;  almost  a  shop 
girl.  Think  of  it.  We  could  not  associate  with 
'her." 

'''  That's  true,"  Cleve  reflected. 

"  It's  simply  too  bad  for  Jackie ;  she's  such  a 
sweet  girl,"  said  Mrs.  Norton.  "  Don't  say  a  word 
about  it,  daughter." 

They  met  the  Englishman,  and  Marion,  making 
herself  agreeable,  said,  "  We  welcome  you  back  to 
the  home  of  your  mother.  Our  parents  were 
friends  and  we  shall  expect  you  to  accompany  us 
to  town  and  be  our  guest  while  in  this  country." 

Mrs.  Norton  added,  "  I  feel,  Lord  Summersouth, 


100       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

as  if  I  had  first  claim,  and  if  you  don't  make  our 
home  your  home —  I  shall  be  much  disappointed." 

"  I  shall.  And  I  will  be  delighted  to  do  so,  for, 
I  am  sure  my  mother's  friends  will  be  her  son's 
friends.  I  would  return  with  you,  and  the  invita- 
tion is  hard  to  refuse,  but,  I  left  there  this  morn- 
ing, having  arrived  from  England  yesterday  in  the 
interest  of  the  International  Aviation  Meet.  I  met 
representatives  of  the  Flyers'  Club  last  night,  but, 
owing  to  the  absence  of  Mr.  Clevendor,  we  didn't 
come  to  any  understanding.  We  are  anxious  to 
make  the  next  Meet  the  biggest  event  of  the  com- 
ing year,  and,  I  am  sure  America,  as  well  as  Eng- 
land, will  do  her  part." 

i(  You  are  mighty  sly,  Mr.  Summersouth ;  how 
about  Nell  ?  "  asked  Marion,  mischievously.  "  'Fess 
up,  now.  Is  this  Aviation  business  the  only  thing 
you  have  come  to  see  about?  When  is  it  going  to 
happen  ?  " 

The  young  Earl  looked  abashed,  and  his  face  be- 
came erubescent.  "  You  American  girls  have  a 
clever  way  of  putting  things.  Your  allusion  is  a  bit 
too  deep  for  me.  Miss  Jackson  and  I  are  friends, 
if  you  refer  to  her." 

"  You  must  excuse  our  manner  of  address,"  re- 
turned Marion,  "as  by  birth  you  are  ultra-Ameri- 
can. Please  don't  think  we  Western  girls  are  all 
hoydens." 

"  You  are  breezy,  dashing  and  the  most  splendid 
specimens  of  womankind  the  world  over.  I  will 
not  do  myself  justice  or  think  I  have  honored  the 
memory  of  my  beloved  mother,  until  I  have  taken 
one  of  you  across  the  seas  to  my  castle,  as  my 
wife." 


THE   ARRIVAL   OF   LORD    SUMMERSOUTH          101 

"  Every  inch  an  Earl/'  cried  Marion. 

"  The  true  Anglo- Saxon- American  spirit,"  cor- 
rected Cleve.  "  Here's  my  hand,  old  man !  We 
welcome  to  our  shores  a  gentleman  of  your  stamp 
and  breeding." 

"  Mr.  Clevendor,  the  more  I  see  of  you,  the  more 
I  admire  you.  I  am  glad  the  commercial  interests 
of  this  country  are  destined  to  fall  into  your  hands, 
and  I  might  add  they  could  not  fall  into  safer  or 
more  deserving  hands." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir.     I  will  do  my  duty." 

"  You  will,"  continued  the  Englishman.  "  You 
can  save  the  world  from  the  dreaded  —  Pit." 

"  I  expect  to  try,  sir,"  answered  Cleve,  with  a 
shudder.  "  But,  friend  Summersouth,  permit  me 
to  say,  with  we  Americans,  it  is  not  good  taste  to 
speak  of  that  place  in  polite  society.  It  has  such  a 
loathsome  sound;  however,  I  speak  as  a  friend, 
and  knowing  on  certain  occasions  .  .  ." 

"  By  Jove,  old  man,  I  appreciate  this  bit  of  in- 
formation, and  believe  me,  I  accept  it." 

"  We  shall  expect  you  ?  "  asked  Marion,  as  they 
were  about  to  depart. 

"Yes,  if  —  " 

"That  the  only  hindrance?     If  she  agrees?" 

"Well  — yes.     Til  —  " 

"  We  will  look  for  you,"  entreated  Mrs.  Norton 
as  they  left. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

THE   TRIP    TO   THE    METROPOLIS 

THE  girls  waved  a  farewell  salute  as  they  en- 
tered their  private  cartridge  at  the  Pneumatic 
Tubing  System's  station.  They  expressed  their 
regrets  for  leaving  and  assured  they  had  "  had  the 
time  of  their  lives."  Each  was  very  loquacious  in 
their  endeavor  to  persuade  the  men  to  hurry  to  the 
city,  thereby  giving  them  a  chance  to  reciprocate 
in  hospitality. 

Small  flurries  of  snow  fell.  The  biting  Novem- 
ber winds  told  the  season  had  come  when  little 
could  be  accomplished ;  and,  too,  this  was  the  time 
of  the  year  when  Cleve  sought  his  hiemation  in 
the  metropolis. 

The  day  after  the  guests'  hegira,  having  dis- 
cussed everything  pertaining  to  the  coming  Meet, 
they  arranged  to  make  their  exodus. 

The  Earl  represented  the  combined  English 
Aerial  Clubs  and  was  a  promoter  of  International 
Meets.  He  had  quite  a  record  himself  as  an  Avia- 
tor and  no  doubt  would  be  one  of  the  entries  at  the 
next  Meet.  He  was  honest  and  Cleve  knew  if  the 
event  was  left  to  his  advice  it  would  be  clean  in 
every  respect.  No  doctoring  of  ships,  storage  bat- 
teries, etc.  No  impairing  in  any  way  that  would 
disable  one  entry  to  the  advantage  of  another. 


THE   TRIP   TO   THE    METROPOLIS  103 

When  they  were  alone  the  Englishman  intro- 
duced the  subject  and  presented  a  letter  of  recom- 
mendation from  Mr.  Grey,  President  of  the  Flyers' 
Club  of  the  Metropolis.  He  stated  the  proposition 
in  a  businesslike  way,  pointing  out  the  different 
features,  cost  of  financing,  etc.  He  said,  "  There 
were  several  bids  from  different  Nations,  and  as 
cost  was  quite  an  item,  the  one  that  made  the  most 
lavish  outlay  and  promised  the  largest  bonus  would 
be  the  one  considered." 

As  Cleve  was  the  wealthiest  member  of  the  club 
and  his  father's  combine  governed  all  the  Manu- 
factures of  Aerial  Crafts,  his  views  and  help 
toward  financing  was  earnestly  solicited.  Surely, 
as  they  were  to  be  more  directly  benefited  they  were 
the  logical  ones  to  handle  the  undertaking. 

The  matter  was  settled  and  they,  together  with 
Newman,  left  for  the  city,  leaving  the  C.  F.  &  D. 
satisfactorily  with  able  assistants.  The  policy  of 
the  Company  was  so  clearly  defined  that  even  the 
smallest  salaried  employee  knew  when  there  was  a 
hitch  in  any  one  of  its  many  departments. 

Each  employee  was  a  tooth,  without  independent 
thought  or  action,  in  a  great  self-acting  machine. 
They  were  a  myriad  automatic  cogs  of  flesh  and 
blood,  not  irrespective  to  the  imperial  mandates  of 
a  great  business  wheel,  and  slaved,  and  lived,  and 
died  in  the  course  of  the  grind. 

"  You  will  be  a  great  man,  if  you  are  not  al- 
ready," said  the  Earl,  as  they  leaned  over  the  rail- 
ing of  the  Aerial  Craft,  looking-  at  the  country  be- 
low. Newman  was  in  the  State-room  engaged 
with  some  detail  matter.  The  Englishman  con- 
tinued, "  This  is  a  beautiful  craft  —  its  balance  — 


104       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

its  equilibrium  —  its  propelling  power.  Marvel- 
ous !  How  fast  are  we  going  ?  " 

"  Aero-speedometer  will  tell,"  Cleve  answered, 
raising  his  voice  above  the  swish  of  the  wind  off 
of  the  scythes.  These  air  escutcheons  were  cutting 
through  the  atmospheric  waves  like  the  buzz  of 
millions  of  bumble-bees  and  leaving  mad,  swirling 
choppy  clefts  in  space  behind. 

"  At  this  rate  we  will  reach  our  destination  very 
soon,"  said  the  Englishman,  glancing  nervously  at 
the  wind  armors  as  the  air  rolled  off  leaving  an 
apparent  blueness  in  the  ship's  wake.  "  Before 
dusk,"  assented  Cleve. 

"  By  Jove,  how  do  you  keep  your  wind-shields 
from  burning  ?  The  friction  from  the  air  —  how 
do  you  keep  them  cool  enough  to  meet  this  re- 
sistance? We  have  had  trouble  with  this  condi- 
tion." 

"  An  automatic  cooling  process  just  invented," 
he  answered.  The  Earl  looked  dejected.  This  was 
his  first  information  of  such  a  cooling  system. 
Cleve  went  on,  "  I  do  not  enter  the  contest  with 
these  shields." 

"  We  would  be  forced  to  bar  you  if  you  did." 

"  I  am  sure  that  would  happen." 

"  How  much  does  the  Tubing  System  pay  ? " 
asked  the  Englishman,  as  his  eyes  caught  sight  of 
the  huge  snake-like  pipes  that  seemed  to  be 
creeping  stealthy  like  on  the  ground  and  at  inter- 
vals would  spring  suddenly  up  after  some  buzzing 
ship  for  its  afternoon  meal. 

"  Profits  have  been  tremendous,"  said  Cleve. 
"  The  up-keep  expense  after  being  equipped  is  small 
and  is  almost  a  shame  to  charge  a  cent  a  mile  for 


THE   TRIP   TO   THE    METROPOLIS  105 

service.  The  earnings  are  enormous;  we  can  re- 
duce to  a  half  cent,  and  still  make  a  reasonable 
profit;  this  we  will  do  if  it  becomes  necessary,  in 
order  to  quiet  the  people." 

"  I  understand.  Your  father  had  foresight  to 
know  when  to  unload.  He  sold  his  railroads  to  the 
government,  below  cost,  and  with  such  generosity. 
When  the  people  were  shouting  they  had  made  the 
mighty  commercial  Emperor  bow,  he  quietly  put 
in  this  Tubing  System  and  now  the  Government 
roads  are  idle  and  decaying  in  rust  and  neglect." 

"  In  this  particular  instance  it  has  been  such  a 
blow  to  the  idea  of  Government  ownership  that  it 
has  not  hardly  recovered,"  put  in  Cleve,  as  he 
pulled  up  the  collar  of  his  overcoat  and  advised  the 
Englishman  to  do  the  same  as  the  radiators  were 
not  able  to  compete  with  the  velocity  the  ship  main- 
tained. Cleve  continuing,  "  As  there  is  no  law  to 
prevent  a  corporation  from  competing  with  the 
Government  we  have  taken  over  the  transportation 
of  the  mails.  The  old-fashioned  Railroad  was  too 
slow  and  we  put  in  a  bid,  and  of  course  the  people 
were  eager  to  patronize  the  quicker  way.  What- 
ever the  Government  has  demanded  of  us  we  have 
granted,  and  have  beat  it  at  its  own  game.  We  still 
have  another  trump  card  up  our  sleeve,  and  when 
the  time  comes  it  will  be  played." 

"  You  are  wonderfully  ahead  of  we  English. 
The  Pit  have  almost  whipped  us." 

"  Yes ;  the  Pit  '  put  one  over  you/  to  speak  in  a 
slang  phrase." 

"  In  that  you  may  be  right ;  but,  suppose  the 
Government  demands,  which  it  will  in  time,  the 
Tubing  System  ?  " 


106       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Then  the  trump  card.  Should  it  demand  the 
System,  we  will  pretend  to  fight,  but  of  course  it 
will  whip  us ;  that  is,  unless  we  wish  to  bring  on  a 
great  Civil  War.  I  can  assure  you  we  wish  to 
avoid  that  just  at  this  time.  The  card  we  will  play 
is  yet  our  secret,  as  you  are  in  sympathy  with  our 
cause,  I  don't  mind  saying  the  safety  of  the  whole 
thing  depends  upon  Aerial  navigation.  We  can 
develop  until  we  can  surpass  the  Tubing;  but,  this 
we  will  not  do  until  we  have  fought  the  Govern- 
ment through  all  the  courts,  thereby  delay  many 
years  in  our  favor.  We  have  all  the  secrets  and 
patents  known  to  the  art.  Our  chief  interest  as  yet, 
is  land,  which  is  our  natural  inheritance,  and  so  far 
we  are  having  no  trouble  with  it,  because  we 
lower  the  cost  of  necessities  from  time  to  time  until 
there  is  no  demand  by  the  Government  for  this 
kind  of  property." 

"  But  the  Pit  contends  that  all  forms  of  prop- 
erty is  robbery/' 

"  Yes,  and  when  it  comes  to  the  giving  up  of 
our  lands  —  our  last  heritage  —  we  will  fight  be- 
cause there  is  no  alternative,"  he  answered,  looking 
serious.  "  We  have  our  schools  educating  what 
few  people  we  can  depend  on ;  but  prefer  the  lower 
classes  for  our  defenders  and  soldiery.  We  keep 
up  class  hatred  as  much  as  possible,  and  give  the 
best  of  them  social  equality.  To  be  a  Clouddweller 
is  what  every  mother  son  of  them  wants.  The  Pit 
has  nothing  to  promise ;  we  offer  them  everything ; 
consequently,  they  look  to  us  for  their  Heaven  — 
Social  Equality.  It's  the  dream  of  almost  every 
Pitdweller  to  be  some  day  in  life  a  Clouddweller. 
It  takes  millions  to  hold  what  we  have,  but  we  make 


THE  TRIP  TO   THE    METROPOLIS  107 

the  Pit  pay  for  it  in  the  long  run,  and  occasionally 
give  concessions." 

"  You  are  very  pushy,  I  must  say,  we  English 
could  never  have  thought  out  all  of  this." 

"  The  concentration  of  wealth  in  your  country 
is  not  or  has  not  been  as  rapid.  You  must  own  or 
control  the  four  avenues  of  wealth  —  the  land,  the 
mine,  the  forest  and  the  sea." 

'To  be  sure,"  replied  the  Englishman,  in  very 
grave  thought. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

THE    MYSTERIOUS    MUSIC    AT    HOTEL    MARION 

THE  Airship  slowed  down  its  terrific  speed  and 
lessened  its  dangerous  velocity  as  towering-  moun- 
tains of  steel  and  reinforced  concrete  buildings 
loomed  up  in  their  course.  The  Aerial  Telescope 
showed  that  they  were  nearing  the  Metropolis. 

The  November  sun  was  setting  in  the  distant 
horizon  or  some  place  near  the  C.  F.  &  D.  Red, 
streaky  rays  shot  from  this  ball,  high  into  the  west- 
ern sky,  and  was  now  being  shut  gradually  from 
view  by  dense  clouds  of  vapor  stratum  through 
which  the  ship  had  passed. 

The  big  city,  with  its  many  skyscrapers  appear- 
ing like  huge  cliffs,  rose  towering,  grand  and  awe- 
inspiring,  was  now  like  mountains  and  dangerous 
boulders  before  them.  Below  was  a  mass  of  hills 
and  ravines  —  deep  cuts,  here  and  there,  which 
came  to  a  sudden  and  unceremonious  ending  as 
some  large  stately  concrete  blocked  their  course. 

"  Your  city,"  cried  the  Earl,  looking  intently  be- 
low, forward  and  then  above  as  the  pilot  steered 
dexterously  around  a  towering  wall  of  stone  and 
steel  that  shot  so  high,  even  from  their  position, 
that  it  made  the  eye  weary  and  head  ache  to  fol- 
low it  to  its  apex  in  the  firmaments,  "  we  have 
nothing  that  will  compare  with  this  in  the  old 
world." 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    MUSIC   AT    HOTEL    MARION       109 

"  This  is  the  result  of  the  American  commercial 
spirit  which  has  of  late  discovered  it  is  cheaper  to 
go  up  with  its  buildings  than  to  conquer  the  ter- 
ritory surrounding.  The  last  two  or  three  years 
this  spirit  has  dominated,  and  in  reality,  they  are 
our  castles  of  protection.  They  are  our  fortifica- 
tions from  behind  which  the  Pitdwellers,  with  all 
their  wild  rampage  of  blood  and  murder,  will  never 
be  able  to  get  any  of  we  Clouddwellers." 

The  young  Lord  was  intensejy  interested  and  re- 
plied, "  I  am  sure  these  chateaus  are  all  very  well, 
but  suppose  a  bomb  should  be  dropped  from  some 
Airship  —  then,  what  ?  " 

"  Each  and  all  main  structures  are  protected  by 
fleets  of  War,"  he  answered,  "and  we  are  safe. 
That  building  over  there,"  pointing  to  it,  "over  a 
million  souls  live  and  dwell  in  it.  Behind  its  walls 
you  will  find  Churches,  Theaters,  Fashionable  Clubs 
and  every  amusement  known.  You  will  find  beau- 
tiful Parks,  Ball  teams,  Tennis  Courts  and  any  and 
all  things  that  would  add  to  the  enjoyment  to  the 
fullest  extent.  This  piece  of  architecture  cost  over 
a  billion,  and  is  owned  by  our  syndicate.  Is  named 
Temple  Marion  in  honor  of  Marion  Norton." 

"  One  of  the  wonders  of  the  New  World,"  re- 
plied the  Earl,  "  but,  my  dear  friend,  you  still  have 
the  Pit  below." 

"  No  danger  from  that  source,"  assured  Cleve. 
"  I  understand  you  are  thinking  of  the  damage  the 
Pit  might  do.  Why,  there  is  not  a  gun  known  that 
can  put  a  ball  through  the  layers  of  armor  at  the 
base  of  these  buildings." 

"  It  is  almost  inconceivable,"  said  the  English- 
man, bewildered ;  "  it's  absurd  to  think  of  the  size 


110       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

of  these  structures.  Their  circumference,  and  ex- 
tending so  high,  makes  me  look  with  a  sense  of 
reverence.  It  is  with  obedience  to  some  Deity  far 
above  earth  —  I  bow  to  some  sovereign  who  has 
left  monuments  behind  to  be  preserved  in  the  mem- 
ory of  future  generations." 

"Grand  Central,  the  secluded  resort  for  Fash- 
ionable Flyers,  is  second  in  size  and  bulk,"  Cleve 
continued.  "  Hotel  Marion,  where  we  stop  to- 
night, has  the  highest  altitude  and  her  rotunda  cost 
a  half  billion  dollars.  The  Clevendor-Norton  in- 
terests own  one  hundred  of  these  structures  and 
some  of  the  inmates  who  live  in  these  buildings 
have  never  touched  the  earth." 

"  I  have  heard  of  Hotel  Marion  before,  and  have 
always  wanted  to  see  it,  now  I  am  jolly  glad  I  shall 
have  the  pleasure.  But,  Mr.  Clevendor,  I  am  still 
fearful,  I  think  your  father  and  Mr.  Norton  have 
not  figured  on  this  one  thing.  Suppose  the  Pit- 
dwellers  should  become  possessor  of  Aerial  Men 
of  War  and  shoot  down  instead  of  up.  Where  are 
your  portcullis  when  it  comes  to  the  big  battles  of 
the  clouds  ?  " 

"  Our  fortifications  can  be  explained  in  this  way, 
if  the  Pit  should  ever  own  these  crafts  it  will  never 
shoot  down,  because  it  would  be  equivalent  to  mur- 
dering their  own  kin.  No ;  it,  in  all  of  its  blood- 
thirsty vengeance,  will  never  tumble  falling  walls 
on  their  own  friends  and  relations.  The  future 
battles  of  mankind  will  be  fought  within  the  con- 
fines of  these  steel  walls  —  in  those  corridors,  hall- 
ways and  escalators  the  future  historian  will  write 
of  deeds  of  bravery,  valor  and  heroic  achievements, 
and  all  for  the  good  of  society  and  civilization 


THE   MYSTERIOUS    MUSIC   AT   HOTEL    MARION       111 

above  the  clouds.  They  will  write  of  the  storming 
of  Temple  and  Hotel  Marion  by  Aerial  Men  of 
War  as  the  present  historian  describes  the  taking 
of  Manilla,  the  battle  of  the  Plains  or  the  deadly 
combat  of  Bunker  Hill." 

He  extended  his  conversation,  the  Englishman 
silent  and  very  still.  "  'Tis  certain  we  are  now 
defensive  rather  than  aggressive,  we  are  not  so 
prone  to  encroachment  on  new  fields.  Every  suc- 
cessful application  of  industry  on  any  object  is  met 
with  cries  of  '  Exploitation/  We  can  hold  what 
we  have  for  a  few  years,  then  we  will  have  to  defy 
the  world." 

"  Create  a  war  and  force  the  Pitdwellers  to 
fight,"  suggested  the  Earl,  breaking  his  taciturn 
mannerism. 

"  Fight,  they  would  never  do.  They  are  not 
Patriots,  or  have  qualities  that  constitutes  love  for 
their  country.  They  are  deluded  followers  and 
Martyrs  for  a  dreaded  Pit  illusion." 

They  passed  through  the  eddies  and  criss-crosses 
of  air  currents  over  architectural  wonders  of  the 
lower  Metropolis.  This  section  contained  more 
and  larger  skyscrapers,  at  one  time,  than  any  other 
locality  in  the  world.  The  ship  grazed  the  roofs 
of  the  structures  in  the  vicinity,  then  upward 
towards  Hotel  Marion,  and  landed  on  the  marble 
pier.  The  aureate  shade  illuminated  auriferously 
the  twilight  gloom,  and  Cleve  exclaimed,  "  Home 
at  last." 

"  And,  by  Jove,  we  both  are  glad,"  returned 
Summersouth,  as  his  eyes  caught  the  metallic  glim- 
mer of  silver  floors  and  golden  caryatides  columns 
in  the  world-famed  lobby  ahead.  As  they  ap- 


112      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

preached  the  register  he  became  more  dazed  at  the 
splendor.  The  very  air  he  breathed  seemed  to  be 
composed  of  precious  metal. 

Women  passed  them,  as  they  were  imbibing  the 
magnificent  place,  covered  in  diamonds,  and  to  the 
young  Lord's  refined  taste  it  was  all  a  monstrosity. 

"  I  am  no  connoisseur,"  he  spoke  with  some  bold- 
ness ;  "  I  have  never  in  fashionable  centers  of  Con- 
tinental Europe,  seen  such  an  exhibition  or  parade. 
At  no  English  Court  or  Coronation  has  such  os- 
tentation, gewgaw  and  strained  effect  been 
equalled." 

"  These  people  whom  you  see  are  either  Million 
or  Billionaires,  consequently  it  is  the  natural  daily 
occurrence,"  confessed  Cleve. 

At  this  juncture  Newman  excused  himself.  He 
was  to  go  to  pay  his  respects  to  Colonel  Clevendor. 
The  old  gentleman  still  lived  in  the  house  Cleve 
was  born  in.  It  had  been  a  sumptuous  erection,  but 
was  now  very  dilapidated.  Cleve  was  more  fastid- 
ious, besides  his  room  at  his  father's  place,  which 
was  kept  by  an  old  family  servant,  he  had  his  suite 
at  the  Hotel.  Newman  held  the  proxy  vote  of  the 
Clevendor  interests  to  be  cast  in  the  Directors' 
meeting  of  the  C.  &  N.  Co.,  which  was  to  be  held 
in  the  wine  room  of  the  Hotel  on  the  following 
morning. 

11  You  are  my  guest,"  Cleve  said  to  Summer- 
south.  "  I  will  arrange  for  you.  I  would  have  you 
visit  our  home,  but  it  would  be  too  lonesome,  as 
father  would  not  be  a  suitable  entertainer,  and 
neither  of  you  would  understand  the  other." 

"How  about  the  Nortons?" 

"  That's  so ;   but  we  can  fix  that,"  he  assured. 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    MUSIC   AT    HOTEL    MARION       113 

Porters  bowed  the  way  and  fell  over  each  other 
to  do  homage  to  the  distinguished  guests.  While 
powerful  meteoric  rays  shot  up  and  among  the 
spangled  draperies  and  hangings  of  the  cone  can- 
opy. Color  eclipsed  color  in  one  mad  chromatic 
run  of  brilliancy.  Transcendent  after-rays  flitted 
momentarily  and  furtively,  like  wild  beautiful 
things  afraid  to  venture  in  the  stronger  and  swifter 
current.  Fountains  of  onyx  marble  —  deep  with 
semi-pellucid  veining  in  the  glistening  quartz  and 
agate,  and  the  chalcedony  shining  like  eternal 
snow  —  created  infant,  shimmering,  iridescent  rain- 
bows, as  the  soft,  wet,  dewy  sprays  of  the  crystal 
water  fell  like  vapor  in  the  silvery  basin.  The 
Aurora  Borealis  and  panoramic  furore  of  flash- 
lights continued  on  and  on,  in  one  mad  blend  of 
perpetual  harmony. 

They  seated  themselves,  surrounded  by  white  and 
yellow  chrysanthemums,  near  the  fountain  to  watch 
the  scene.  The  illumination  began  with  colors 
strong  and  then  evanescent  with  the  ever-accented 
yellow;  then,  when  the  final  flash  of  the  lone  op- 
posing color  crossed  the  battleground  from  the 
empyrean  maze  came  a  mirage  of  orange  that 
flooded  and  left  all  and  everything  of  a  golden  tint 
and  dye;  then,  as  if  by  magic  the  forces  would 
clash  again  and  be  wafted  on  the  wings  of  gentle 
breeze  and  lost  from  view  in  the  glimmer  of  the 
haze. 

"  You  are  at  a  loss  to  know  the  purpose  of  this  ?  " 

"  I  would  like  to  understand,"  returned  the  Earl. 

"  This  battle  is  twofold ;  it  serves  as  a  drawing- 
card,  and  emphasizes  the  power  of  gold." 

"  By  Jove,  I  see." 


114       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

Suddenly,  to  their  amazement,  from  that  vast 
impervious  mystery  above,  as  if  from  the  clouds, 
came  the  sounds  of  music  —  so  sweet  were  the 
strains  that  it  seemed  as  if  the  entire  celestial  band 
was  playing  —  the  opulent  guests  stopped  as  if 
dazed,  looked  and  listened.  Louder  and  louder 
came  the  deep  pulse  of  an  Organ  whose  melody 
cast  a  spell  over  its  auditors  and  made  them  feel 
as  if  they  could  see  that  Eternal  City  of  peace  and 
love. 

The  aristocratic  air  lifted  for  the  moment,  but 
as  the  last  echo  of  the  throbbing  instrument  died 
away  a  halo  of  gold  again  permeated  like  a  mantel 
in  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  spacious  audito- 
rium. 

"  My !  What  music  !  Who  is  it  that  makes  it?  " 
demanded  the  Englishman,  almost  fiercely. 

Cleve  was  dumbfounded.  "  I  don't  know.  The 
last  time  I  was  here  the  Organist  was  a  man.  The 
Organ  you  have  heard  is  the  most  expensive  one  in 
the  world." 

His  companion  was  not  satisfied,  and  in  a  tone 
half  solicitous,  "  You  must  tell  me.  I  must  see  the 
Organist  —  this  place  is  enchanted  —  it's  a  golden 
night's  dream." 

"  I  do  not  know.  I  can't  tell.  Such  as  this  does 
not  interest  me." 

"  It  is  no  small  affair,"  returned  Summersouth. 
"  I  think  I  have  heard  this  score  before,  as  it  brings 
the  sights  and  scenes  of  Sunny  Naples  back  to  me. 
It  was  the  evening  of  a  glorious  day,  four  years 
ago  next  June;  it  was  the  last  day  of  the  Meet  — 
I  had  won  a  fortune  —  My !  I  will  never  forget 
her,"  he  muttered,  as  if  his  thoughts  were  far  away. 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    MUSIC   AT   HOTEL    MARION       115 

They  were  still  sitting,  lazy-like,  on  the  golden 
bench  that  bordered  the  fountain.  "  It  was  a 
woman,  then/'  Cleve  observed. 

Cleve  was  now  inquisitive.  He  had  thought  Eng- 
lish people  were  not  so  sentimental,  rather  phleg- 
matic. This  amorous  outburst  had  to  some  extent 
changed  his  notion. 

"  She.  She  was  a  super-woman.  She  knew  the 
games  —  she  could  gamble  —  she  won  a  fortune 
every  day  of  the  Meet  and  gave  it  away  the  next. 
She  possessed  some  psychic  knowledge.  Her 
emoluments  were  for  those  in  need." 

"  Would  one  gamble  that  made  music  like  we 
heard  ?  "  Cleve  asked,  as  the  speaker  paused. 

"  She  made  wagers  to  obtain  money  for  the  poor. 
This,  Mr.  Clevendor,  may  not  interest  you  —  I  may 
be  taking  your  time  —  I  may  be  asking  too  much," 
he  said,  somewhat  stiffly,  and  a  little  dismayed  that 
he  had  betrayed  his  emotions. 

"  No.  Mr.  Summersouth,  I  would  be  pleased  to 
hear  more  of  this  woman,"  Cleve  insisted. 

He  made  an  effort  at  humor :  "  I  want  it  under- 
stood that  Miss  Jackson  —  " 

"  Certainly,"  put  in  Cleve,  "  I  know  how  you 
feel." 

"  To  begin.  It  was  the  evening  of  a  beautiful 
Mediterranean  sunset.  The  breeze  from  the  bay 
thrilled  and  made  the  living  of  life  a  joy.  After 
dinner  I  had  escaped  my  friends  to  go  for  a  solitary 
stroll ;  on  every  hand  the  flowers  and  shrubbery 
of  the  garden  seemed  to  greet  me.  The  Sicilian 
sky  was  imbued  in  a  gloaming  maize  —  the  sun  dis- 
appeared behind  some  crags  —  the  red  ball  of  fire 
faded  like  a  wandering  meteor  —  the  warm  day 


116       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

cooled  —  the  stars  began  to  peep,  and  it  was  then 
that  I  felt  like  giving  up  my  occupation. 

"  To  me,  Sunny  Naples  looked  so  grand  —  so 
beautiful,  I  thought  if  I  should  stay  another  day  I 
would  never  leave  that  '  lovely  Kingdom.'  Of 
course,  the  delightful  Summer  —  the  inspiring 
situation  —  my  mood,  may  have  conspired  to  make 
this  girl  as  beautiful  as  she  appeared  to  me.  I  had 
passed,  or  was  about  to  pass,  one  of  those  old 
mediaeval  fountains,  when  on  a  bench  I  discovered 
this  woman ;  her  face  was  resting  in  her  hands  — 
her  long,  white,  graceful  arms  extended  in  V-shape 
and  supported  her  chin — 'her  tapering  fingers 
buried  themselves  in  the  dark  auburn  disheveled 
curls  that  fell  in  clusters  over  her  face.  My!  but 
she  was  pretty,  sweet  and  demure  —  she  was 
dressed  in  white  —  and  the  marble  of  the  fountain 
and  banks  of  flowers  around  her  made  a  pleasing 
background. 

"  I  stood  several  moments  drinking  the  nectar 
of  the  picture  she  presented  —  she  was  not  aware 
of  my  approach  —  she  was  in  solitude  —  she  was 
in  deep  thought.  There  before  me  was  the  woman 
who  had  stirred  the  soul  of  Naples  —  this  daring 
American  woman  —  this  plunger  —  this  gambler  — 
this  enchantress  —  this  woman  with  a  marble  heart 
who  won  hearts  as  easily  as  she  cast  them  aside  — 
this  creature  who  had  caused  many  a  lovesick  youth 
to  drown  his  affection  in  the  waters  of  the  deep 
blue  bay. 

"  She  had  captivated  me  as  she  had  all  Naples, 
and  while  I  had  not  been  introduced  to  her  it  was 
not  my  fault,  and  now,  as  the  opportunity  had  so 
joyously  and  romantically  presented  itself,  I  did 


THE   MYSTERIOUS   MUSIC  AT   HOTEL   MARION       117 

not  intend  to  let  it  go  by  unnoticed.  I  hardly  knew 
how  to  address  her  and  thought  I  had  made  a  big 
mistake  when  I  said,  '  I  beg  your  pardon,  but  — ' 

"  She  rose  from  the  bending  position,  sat  up- 
right, and  looked  at  me  from  those  dark  blue  eyes 
in  a  languorous  way,  biding  her  time  as  though 
trying  to  collect  her  wits.  Finally,  she  extended 
her  hand,  and  made  room  for  me  on  the  bench, 
saying,  'This  is  Lord  Summersouth,  is  it  not?' 

" '  Yes/  I  stammered,  and  immediately  began  to 
feel  the  power  she  possessed.  Whether  it  was  from 
my  imagination  or  not  I  felt  that  I  was  not  her 
equal  intellectually." 

"  My !    an  extraordinary  woman,"  said  Cleve. 

"  Yes/'  he  answered. 

"  Your  look  implies  that  you  still  know  of  her." 

"  No.  I  have  not  seen  her  since  that  night.  She 
left  Naples  as  she  came  —  a  stranger." 

Cleve  was  quiet;  he  rather  liked  to  listen  to  the 
Englishman's  romance. 

"  For  several  moments  we  did  not  speak,"  he 
continued,  "as  we  sat  there  studying  each  other. 
I  grew  numb  and  very  chilly,  and  then  by  some 
subtle  spiritual  phenomenon  she  released  her  force 
over  me;  and  I  became  flesh  and  blood  again. 
And  in  her  voice  that  sounded  like  music,  she  said, 
'  I  am  glad  to  meet  you.  I  have  heard  of  you  be- 
fore. You  have  been  the  means  by  which  I  have 
raised  money  to  feed  the  poor  of  this  city.'  She 
paused  in  mockery :  '  Lord  Summersouth,  you  are 
a  gentleman  according  to  your  standard.  I  am  a 
student  with  views  not  in  keeping  with  people  who 
believe  nobility  to  be  the  special  bequest  of  Provi- 
dence. Your  title  prohibits  us  from  being  amicable, 


118       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

whether  we  wished  to  be  so  or  not.  Now,  since 
you  have  overstrained  that  nice  line  of  social  ob- 
servance, I  shouldn't  be  so  exact  in  my  language/ 

"  '  But  —  Miss  '  I  started  to  explain. 

"  '  Miss  Incognito/  she  supplied. 
'  But  why  are  you  as  you  are  ? '  I  asked  her." 

"  Naturally  this  question  baffled  you,"  put  in 
Cleve. 

"  She  laughed  in  my  face  as  I  asked  her/'  he  re- 
turned. " '  You  are  in  a  foreign  country,  among 
strangers.  If  anything  should  happen  to  you, 
where  are  your  friends  to  aid  you  ?  ' 

' '  Lord  Summersouth,  did  you  ever  stop  to  con- 
sider that  we  do  things  "because  it  pleases  us  to  do 
them/  was  her  direct  answer.  '  Your  inquiry  re- 
veals to:  me  that  you  still  have  on  your  "blind 
bridle."  I  have  no  fear  of  strangers.  I  know  them 
as  well  as  I  shall  ever  know  you.  The  moment  you 
came  near  me  I  felt  your  thought  atmosphere,  and 
no  thought  harmony.  In  this  way  I  select  my  road 
of  destiny.  Perhaps,  I  am  speaking  too  high/  she 
went  on  smiling,  '  remember,  you  have  violated  all 
laws  of  propriety,  and  deserve  a  haughty  and  an 
indifferent  reception/ 

"  '  A  moment  please/  I  said.  '  You  looked  so  en- 
chanting —  so  charming  —  ' 

"  '  A  mission  of  curiosity.     My  dear  Lord/  she 
forced  an  assumed  sigh. 
'  I  meant  no  harm  — ' 

"  '  Had  I  an  escort.  Then  what?  Oh!  you  Mr. 
Englishman ! ' 

"  '  I  wanted'  an  introduction  before  you  went 
away  — ' 


THE   MYSTERIOUS    MUSIC   AT   HOTEL    MARION       119 

"  '  And  really  thought  that  wish  would  be  ful- 
filled/ she  replied  with  some  sarcasm. 

"  Then,  as  if  by  some  caprice  of  misfortune  a 
messenger  came  and  informed  her  that  she  was  re- 
quested to  render  a  musical  score  for  the  people, 
including  the  poorest  element,  who  had  come  to 
hear  her.  She  had  given  a  number  of  recitals  dur- 
ing her  stay,  and  at  each  performance  her  audience 
had  grown  larger  and  larger.  She  had  played  her 
way  into  the  hearts  and  souls  of  many  thousands. 
The  masses  were  denied  the  privilege  of  the  spa- 
cious conservatory,  but  showed  their  appreciation 
by  hearty  clapping  of  their  hands  where  they  had 
congregated  on  the  lawn  outside. 

"  This  invitation  was  sufficient  and,  perhaps, 
served  as  an  able  excuse  for  her  departure.  I 
realized  her  true  nature  when  she  permitted  me  to 
accompany  her  to  the  hotel.  I  felt,  as  we  walked 
through  the  garden,  as  if  I  were  a  King,  and  I 
would  have  gladly  given  my  kingdom  to  have  been 
her  companion  in  this  garden  forever." 

"  I  would  have  liked  to  have  met  this  woman, 
too,"  remarked  Cleve. 

"  I  have  never  seen  her  equal,"  speaking,  as  if 
living  the  whole  incident  over  again  in  his  mind. 

"  I  hope  you  shall  see  her  again." 

"  Yes,  thank  you,"  returned  Summersouth. 
"  The  score  we  just  heard  sounds  exactly  as  the 
one  she  played  that  memorable  night.  Yea!  I 
would  remember  it  to  my  dying-  day.  I  tried  to 
find  it  every  place.  The  music  publishing  houses 
knew  nothing  of  it." 

"You  failed  to  obtain  the  title,  then?" 

"  Yes.     It  was  the  last  number,  and  then   she 


120       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

rose  hastily,  her  face  imbued  with  some  divine  feel- 
ing, her  cheeks  with  some  tears  on  them;  she 
smiled,  bade  me  good-night,  and  before  I  could 
utter  a  word  said,  *  Don't  ask  me  the  name  of  this 
number.' 

"  She  vanished ;  the  audience  sat  like  statues  of 
marble  for  several  minutes ;  then,  one  by  one,  we 
arose  and  left  the  chamber.  Something  seemed 
to  lay  heavily  on  our  hearts.  When  I  came  out  I 
expected  to  see  the  cities'  poor.  I  saw  only  the 
usual  crowd.  She  had  preceded  me  and  had  bidden 
them  adieu.  This  is  and  was  the  last  I  ever  saw 
of  her,  and  finishes  my  story.  I  must  thank  you  for 
your  undivided  attention." 

"  I  was  entertained,  I  assure  you,"  said  Cleve ; 
"  now  let  us  prepare  for  dinner." 

"  As  you  wish,  Mr.  Clevendor." 

"  I  have  instructed  Valets  in  placing  our  trunks, 
and  as  we  go  to  our  apartments  I  will  inform  the 
Clerk  you  are  my  guest." 

They  arose  from  the  yellow  plush  of  the  golden 
bench  and  walked  over  to  the  office  bar  of  solid 
gold,  where  a  pale  slender  Clerk  presided.  Cleve 
turned  the  diamond  studded  register  and  picked 
up  a  mother  of  pearl  pen  and  made  two  hasty 
silver  scrawls  on  the  orange-colored  leaf.  His 
eyes  scanned  the  page,  and  his  brow  contracted, 
and  his  face  showed  signs  of  displeasure.  Marcus 
H.  Greyhouse  and  Friend  stood  out  before  his  as- 
tonished vision  as  if  the  name  had  been  under- 
scored with  precious  stones.  "  Lord  Summersouth 
will  occupy  my  guest  chamber,"  he  said;  "and,  by 
the  way,  I  see  Greyhouse  has  a  friend." 

"  Yes.      A   very   beautiful   woman,"   replied   the 


THE   MYSTERIOUS   MUSIC   AT   HOTEL   MARION       121 

Clerk.  "  The  men  admire  while  the  women  envy 
her.  They  are  dining  now." 

Cleve  apparently  passed  the  remark  unnoticed. 
"  Have  you  seen  the  Nortons  go  to  dinner  ?  " 

'They  are  in  their  reservation.  A  little  to  the 
right  of  center  in  the  refectory." 

"  Let's  go,"  he  turned  to  the  Earl 

Seizing  a  photophone  in  his  room  Cleve  obtained 
connection  with  the  Nortons.  Mr.  Norton's  round 
face  appeared  and  Cleve  informed  him  that  the 
Earl  and  himself  were  about  to  join  them.  He 
asked  especially  about  Greyhouse's  companion. 

"  Oh,  they  are  across  from  us,"  informed  Nor- 
ton. "  She  is  a  good  looking  creature ;  but,  so 
far,  they  haven't  dared  to  look  in  our  direction." 

"  And  Marion  ?  "  he  asked,  anxiously. 

"  She  will  not  notice  him.  She  wants  to  speak 
to  you." 

Marion  came,  and  said,  "  Hurry  up,  poke ;  I 
want  you  to  see  Greyhouse's  new  sweetheart. 
She's  surely  good-looking." 

"As  you?"  he  asked,  jokingly. 

"  I  hope  not,  you  goose." 

"  Greyhouse  is  trying  to  make  you  jealous." 

"  I  guess  so,"  she  answered ;  "  at  any  rate,  she 
is  creating  a  sensation.  Everybody  is  looking  and 
talking  about  her.  Hurry  up.  Nell  passed  and 
pinched  me  because  I  had  a  rival.  She  whispered 
that  '  you  and  the  Earl  would  be  here  to-night ! ' 

u  You  arrived  safely?"  he  inquired. 

:<  Yes ;  but  Jackie  pouted  all  the  way.  She  was 
afraid  she  had  ruined  her  chances  with  the  Earl. 
Outside  of  that  we  were  a  jolly  crowd." 

"  Is  she  expecting  the  Earl  to-night  ?  " 


122      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Yes.  After  we  have  had  an  informal  affair  in 
his  honor.  So  hurry  and  don't  keep  us  waiting." 

"  We  will  come  as  soon  as  he  completes  his 
toilet ;  and  listen,  how  do  the  girls  feel  towards 
Greyhouse  ?  " 

"  Snubbed  him.  We  have  hardly  spoken  to  him ; 
but  come  on  and  we  can  talk  this  over  when  we 
are  alone." 

As  they  entered  the  magnificent  room  they  were 
both  a  little  excited,  the  Englishman  from  the  new 
surroundings,  and  Cleve,  because  he  felt  an  inward 
"  hunch "  that  something  unusual  would  happen. 
Would  he  speak  when  he  met  Greyhouse  was  un- 
settled in  his  mind.  The  spacious  hall  was  an 
effulgent  display  itself  —  a  replica  of  the  omnipo- 
tent lobby.  The  everescent  yellow  was  only  a  con- 
tinuation to  emphasize  the  color  scheme. 

The  first  employee  of  the  dining  service  pomp- 
ously directed,  without  hesitation,  the  "  newly  ar- 
rivals." As  formerly  explained  the  Norton  table 
was  slightly  to  the  right  of  the  center  of  the  room. 
It  was  enclosed  by  silver  pickets  which  were  sup- 
ported by  two  railings  of  gold.  It  was  an  effica- 
cious effect,  elevated  to  be  the  cynosure  at  all  times. 
To  be  invited  to  this  table  was  the  only  passport 
needed  to  that  inner-circle  of  Clouddwellers'  soci- 
ety. Norton  loved  to  exaggerate  his  riches,  and 
display  his  self -exaltation  to  the  world. 

Cleve  heard  low  hum  of  voices  as  they  went  down 
the  aisle  and  paused  before  the  auspicious  table. 
As  they  were  about  to  ascend  the  golden  steps  he 
felt  the  Englishman's  nervous  hand  grasp  his  arm ; 
he  turned  just  in  time  to  hear  him  exclaim  in  a 
suppressed  voice :  "  My  God !  who  is  that 


THE   MYSTERIOUS    MUSIC   AT   HOTEL    MARION       123 

woman  ? "  Cleve  looked  in  the  direction  indicated 
and  saw  Greyhouse.  That  was  enough.  He  would 
not  look  again ;  and  seizing  the  startled  man  by  the 
arm,  he  prevented,  by  introducing  him  to  Mr.  Nor- 
ton, a  scene  which  for  the  moment  seemed  inevi- 
table. 

Norton  made  the  situation  easy,  when  he  said: 
"  He  had  known  Lord  Summersouth  when  he  was 
but  a  lad;  and,  now,  since  he  had  grown  to  man- 
hood he  was  more  than  glad  to  meet  him." 

If  any  of  them  had  noticed  the  Englishman's 
strange  actions  they  did  not  let  it  be  known.  After 
the  usual  pleasantries  and  compliments  the  con- 
versation lulled.  Marion  engaged  the  Earl's  atten- 
tion and  then  Cleve  ventured  to  look  in  Greyhouse's 
direction.  He  was  immediately  in  front  of  him. 
He  had  only  to  raise  his  eyes.  He  dared  to  look; 
but  quickly  diverted  his  attention  in  a  rapid  sur- 
prising manner.  He  began  to  feel  as  if  he  had  no 
blood  in  his  veins.  He  became  numbed,  then 
chilled;  then  he  felt  torpid;  and  then,  at  last, 
deadened.  The  oil  of  his  body  ceased  to  feed  the 
lamp  wick  of  his  brain.  The  light  of  life  was  gone, 
and  his  skull  seemed  to  encase  a  hollow  as  dark  as 
an  unlighted  cave.  Suddenly  life  came  back  to  him 
from  some  unfathomed  darkness.  Thoughts 
flashed  and  reflashed  —  conclusions  crossed  and 
crisscrossed  his  chaotic  mind.  Like  the  Lord  of 
Summersouth,  he  was  crying  to  himself,  "  My  God ! 
who  is  that  woman  ?  " 

It  was  Humanity  dressed  in  a  gorgeous  gown 
with  dazzling,  gleaming  stones  of  immense  value. 
Why  was  she  here?  Why  with  Greyhouse?  Yea! 
a  baffling  mystery  enshrouded  her.  She  was  the 


124       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

cause  of  the  Englishman's  excitement  —  she,  that 
enigmatic  enchantress.  Was  she  mortal  or  spirit? 
Was  she  superhuman?  She  was  not  ubiquitous, 
for  she  could  not  reside  in  that  foul  Pit  and  be  a 
Clouddweller.  This  was  impossible,  he  reasoned. 

He  ventured  to  look  again.  She  met  him  with  a 
greeting  smile  that  sent  his  blood  bounding  and 
making  more  joyous  the  sensation  at  every  leap. 
Her  voice  came  to  him,  and  while  her  lips  did  not 
move,  he  heard  her  as  he  had  heard  her  speak  be- 
fore. 

"  Dear  friend,  you  no  doubt  are  astonished  to  see 
me  again,  and  here  with  the  first  man  of  your  city. 
Do  not  be  so  foolish  to  try  to  unsolve  this  question. 
You,  perhaps,  may  never  know.  In  another  or 
older  day  you  may  discover  this  secret.  I  see/'  her 
voice  went  on  in  that  same  sweet  way,  "  that  Lord 
Summersouth  has  come  over  to  this  country.  He 
is  just  a  passing  acquaintance  of  a  few  seasons 
ago.  I  met  him  in  Naples  at  an  International  Meet. 
He  is  a  good  man  and  will  be  your  competitor  in 
June  (your  next  Meet).  You  will  be  the  victor.  Lord 
Summersouth  is  a  Clouddweller  like  you,  and  is 
very  ignorant  of  the  forces  —  the  laws  that  govern 
the  spiritual  and  material  worlds."  To  Cleve  it  was 
now  apparent  she  was  the  one  and  same  woman 
Summersouth  had  described.  As  the  voice  con- 
tinued it  changed  in  tone :  "  I  see  you  are  dining 
with  your  fiancee  —  she  does  not  love  you  —  she  is 
deceiving  you  —  she  loves  Greyhouse  better  than 
her  own  life,  while  she  pretends  to  you  she  hates 
him.  Her  love  for  you  is  mercenary;  and  just  to 
please  her  and  your  father  who  wants  to  perpetuate 
the  Clevendor-Norton  interests  by  this  union ;  to 


THE   MYSTERIOUS   MUSIC  AT   HOTEL   MARION       125 

gratify  a  selfish  desire  to  marry  the  son  of  the  rich- 
est man  in  the  world." 

Her  words  angered  him.  Once  before  an  accusa- 
tion was  traced  down  to  find  it  nothing  but  a  bold 
attempt  to  smirch  her  good  name. 

"  You  think  terrible  thoughts,"  the  voice  said ; 
"  you  deny  my  words  with  great  vengeance  —  this 
bit  of  information  was  given  you  once  before, 
which  you  cast  aside  after  you  thought  you  had 
found  out  differently.  This  is  all  tame  to  me  — 
your  love  affair  concerns  me  only  to  the  extent  of 
fair  play.  I  tell  you  these  things  to  put  you  on 
your  guard.  You  think  no  other  man's  lips  have 
ever  touched  the  border  of  her  mouth  —  you  are 
mistaken  —  you  are  only  one  of  the  many  —  she  is 
after  all  nothing  but  a  woman  —  she  is  no  angel 
as  you  have  pictured  —  she  —  " 

Cleve  tried  to  pull  himself  together  —  tried  to 
conj  ure  an  ugly  temper  —  he  could  do  nothing  but 
listen. 

"  Should  you  take  this  advice  depends  on  your 
intellectuality;  notwithstanding  your  commercial 
knowledge  is  far  above  the  average.  But  the 
power  of  commercialism  is  waning  —  you  will  be- 
come more  to  be  pitied  than  censured  —  you  in- 
flated persons  and  your  high  society  will  soon  come 
to  earth  again  —  another  force  will  rule  the  world. 
I  lower  my  brain  to  yours  with  great  effort  —  your 
r>rain  is  centuries  behind  in  development  —  you 
must  travel  far  and  long  before  the  dense  gloom  is 
dispersed  and  your  slumbering  soul  within  you  sees 
the  light  of  truth." 

Cleve  began  to  recover  and  breathe  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  table.  Just  how  long  under  Human- 


126       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

ity's  influence  he  didn't  know ;    but  the  conversa- 
tion was  going  on  as  if  nothing  had  happened  — 
had  he  been  asleep  or  was  Marion  trying  to  jolly 
him    when    she    said,    "  That   was   an   apt   saying, 
Cleve." 

All  the  guests  were  laughing.  "  I  am  glad  you 
think  so/'  he  stammered. 

His  keen  perception  and  knowledge  of  human 
nature  told  him  that  neither  guest  nor  host  had 
noticed  his  somnambulistic  stage.  He  reasoned  at 
once  that  while  this  woman  was  talking  in  one  ear 
he  was  listening  to  their  conversation  with  the 
other;  and  while  he  did  not  use  his  lips  to  talk  to 
this  woman,  he  had  used  them  in  the  chit-chat 
around  the  table. 

This  was  wonderful.  It  verified  a  doctrine 
which  had  been  preached  to  him  —  it  proved  con- 
clusively that  he  possessed  two  minds  —  he  was 
thrilled  to  make  the  discovery  —  it  created  a  sensa- 
tion within  him  like  an  explorer  who  had  suddenly 
found  a  new  route  to  a  known  land,  or  an  unknown 
route  to  a  new  land.  With  these  spiritual  and 
psychic  truths  he  had  always  been  at  variance,  this 
was  knowledge  from  a  new  world.  Humanity  was 
a  Psychiatret  of  a  new  and  higher  school  —  her 
psychanalysis,  the  new  science  that  reveals  the 
secrets  of  the  mind  was  marvelous. 


CHAPTER   XV 

THE    WEIRD    SPELL 

THE  dinner  consisted  of  several  courses,  and  was 
brought  in  on  a  golden  wheeled  tray,  and  was 
served  out  of  gold  and  silver  plates.  The  knives, 
forks  and  spoons  were  all  diamond  studded  and 
composed  of  the  same  metals.  The  room  seemed 
to  be  under  some  strange  influence  which  appeared 
to  hold  the  place  in  a  spell  —  the  people's  thoughts 
and  actions  were  governed  by  an  unseen  force  that 
cast  its  dynamic  effect  at  its  own  volition. 

Cleve  glanced  over  the  effulgent  room  —  the 
place  was  of  a  lurid  yellow  —  Humanity  and  her 
companion,  he  could  see,  was  the  cynosure  of  a 
myriad  eyes.  In  Marion's  there  was  a  gleam  of 
jealousy.  And  with  a  contemptuous  smile  nodded 
in  Humanity's  direction  as  much  as  to  say  they 
were  beneath  her  notice.  The  Englishman  was 
reticent,  and  occasionally  would  take  sly  glances  at 
Humanity.  Cleve  studied  him  casually  and  thought 
that  he  was  living  over  again  his  life  of  four  years 
ago,  in  Naples. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norton  appeared  to  be  uninter- 
ested in  the  surroundings  and  tried  to  keep  up  the 
conversation  by  introducing  commonplace  topics; 
but  these  were  cast  aside  and  the  charms  of  Hu- 
manity commanded  attention.  Whether  the  com- 


128      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

ments  were  favorable  or  unfavorable,  her  presence 
was  felt  just  the  same,  and  whatever  direction  she 
chose  to  look  she  seemed  to  conquer  and  subject. 

Greyhouse  and  his  companion  were  now  rising, 
which  caused  a  hubbub  in  the  otherwise  dignified 
place.  The  garceful  lines  of  her  sylph-like  figure 
shone  in  wonderful  contrast  as  she  rose  to  her  full 
height,  and  like  a  beautiful  animal  possessed  with 
no  conscious  understanding  of  her  own  charms  and 
powers.  Her  eyes  seemed  to  radiate  the  intelli- 
gence of  centuries  and  penetrated  you  with  such  a 
mellow  warmth  that  you  felt  honored  when  they 
were  centered  on  you  and  snubbed  when  turned 
away.  After  deliberately  surveying  the  spacious 
place  and  calmly  cowering  all  hostilities,  the  waiters 
bowing  obeisance  to  her  every  whim,  she  discov- 
ered that  Cleve  was  looking  at  her.  She  returned 
his  gaze  with  a  charm  that  sent  spasmodic  chills 
coursing  up  and  down  his  spinal  column,  and  ac- 
companied by  Greyhouse  made  a  move  to  pass 
them. 

As  they  approached,  Cleve  felt  the  metallic  table 
vibrate  as  if  something  had  struck  it.  Turning  to 
the  Englishman,  whom  he  had  for  the  time  for- 
gotten, he  saw  him  in  a  half -standing  position  with 
real  joy  in  his  expression  and  acting  as  if  he  were 
trying  to  fight  some  force  that  had  captured  him  — 
he  was  making  a  mad  heroic  effort  to  maintain  his 
composure. 

"  Who  is  that  damned  woman  with  Grey- 
house  ?  "  Cleve  heard  Norton  ask.  But  no  one  an- 
swered, as  any  response,  however  suppressed, 
could  have  been  overheard  by  Humanity  and  her 
escort. 


THE   WEIRD   SPELL  129 

When  they  drew  near  the  base  of  the  steps  that 
led  up  to  the  golden  pedestal  of  the  Nortons,  Hu- 
manity said,  "  Mr.  Clevendor,  I  am  very  glad  to 
see  you  again." 

He  arose  and  acknowledged  the  salutation  by 
leaving  his  place  and  the  astonished  people  at  the 
table  and  going  down  the  steps  to  greet  her.  He, 
for  the  time  being,  seemed  to  forget  all  his  hatred 
for  Greyhouse,  which  caused  much  wonderment 
and  speculation  among  his  friends.  "  I  can  also  say 
as  much  for  you,"  he  said.  "  Let  me  introduce  —  " 

The  Earl  had  followed  close  behind  and  was  now 
shaking  her  hand.  "  I  have  met  Lord  Summer- 
south  before,"  she  replied,  and  turning  to  the  Eng- 
lishman asked  concerning  his  health  and  when  he 
arrived. 

The  young  Lord  had  almost  stumbled  over  Cleve 
to  get  near  her,  and  in  an  animated  voice  said, 
"  Seeing  you  again  brings  '  Sunny  Naples '  vividly 
before  me.  I  am  so  delighted  to  see  you  I  hardly 
know  how  to  talk  or  act.  Tell  me,  was  that  you 
making  that  music  a  moment  ago  ?  " 

She  smiled,  showing  her  beautiful  even  teeth. 
"  Yes.  It  was  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Greyhouse.  I 
never  play  otherwise,"  she  added,  making  a  move 
to  go. 

"  Just  a  moment,"  he  asked.  "  Will  you  tell  me 
the  name  of  that  score  ?  " 

"Absurd,  Mr.  Summersouth,"  she  replied  press- 
ing forward. 

"  But  I  must  know,"  he  persisted.  "  I  will  go 
with  you." 

He  appeared  to  be  in  earnest  and  she  said, 
"  Lord  Summersouth,  I  have  no  desire  to  become 


130       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

a  party  to  any  social  estrangement  upon  which  your 
matrimonial  venture  depends,  and  besides,  your 
betrothed  may  be  looking." 

Her  words  staggered  him,  while  Greyhouse 
maintained  his  wonderful  stoic-like  indifference. 
Marion  scanned  eagerly  the  faces  of  her  suitors 
and  glanced  furtively  at  the  antics  and  capers  of 
the  seemingly  unbalanced  Englishman  —  she  was 
hurt  and  tried  to  suppress  her  surprised  indignation 
but  vowed  inwardly  to  never  forgive  this  wanton 
breach  of  etiquette. 

Mrs.  Norton  was  stung  to  the  core  and  it  was 
evident  that  she  thought  anything  but  favorably 
towards  the  young  woman.  Norton's  face  showed 
an  ugly  scowl  —  his  bushy  eyebrows  connected  and 
it  was  plain  he  resented  the  insult  and  was  swear- 
ing vengeance  against  Greyhouse. 

As  the  couple  vanished  through  the  door  the 
Norton  party  was  besieged  by  their  friends  and 
bombarded  with  questions  relative  to  this  mysteri- 
ous woman  with  Greyhouse.  He  had  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  very  select  and  had  never,  so  far  as 
could  be  ascertained,  gone  outside  the  narrow  con- 
fines of  their  society. 

Following  the  dinner  the  Earl  disappeared  with 
Miss  Jackson  and  repaired  to  some  secluded  spot 
in  the  garden  where  they  could  spend  the  evening 
in  a  way  especially  adapted  to  people  of  tneir 
prominence  and  standing. 

Miss  Delainey,  as  usual,  gave  vent  to  her  opin- 
ions and  pronounced  the  Englishman  as  a  "  maud- 
lin silly  baby/'  whereupon  the  girls  jeered  and  said 
in  chorus,  "  You'll  not  dare  to  say  that  to  Nell." 

"  Wait  and  see,"  she  returned.     However,  if  it 


THE   WEIRD   SPELL  131 

ever  reached  the  ears  of  parties  directly  concerned 
no  one  seemed  to  know  it. 

Of  course  Cleve  gave  an  account  of  his  connec- 
tions with  this  woman,  and  on  one  particular  point 
he  had  an  advantage.  No  one  seemed  to  realize  she 
was  the  same  woman  whom  they  had  seen  with  him 
the  night  of  the  accident.  Her  clothing  made  the 
change  and  added  a  great  deal  to  her  beauty,  and 
thus  far,  not  one  suspected  she  was  the  same  Hu- 
manity. 

Norton  had  crept  stealthily,  by  a  side  door,  into 
the  garden  leaving  his  wife  to  entertain  the  guests 
at  some  Clouddweller  game.  If  he  was  missed  no 
one  mentioned  it.  Mrs.  Norton,  the  Windsthurs 
sisters  and  Miss  Delainey  played  in  the  games, 
while  Cleve,  Marion,  Nell  and  the  Englishman  oc- 
cupied some  inconspicuous  place  in  the  garden 
which  they  were  pleased  to  call  "  lovers'  retreat." 

The  garden  was  a  wonderful  and  minute  replica 
of  nature  —  indoor  lawns  —  shrubbery  —  trees  — 
artificial  lakes  and  water  fowls  —  water  lilies  — 
sparkling  marble  fountains  —  green  grass  and 
flowers  of  every  known  species  or  that  ever  lived 
within  the  walls  of  a  hot-house. 

Cleve  and  Marion  wended  their  way  down  a 
small  narrow  path  bounded  by  hedges,  until  they 
reached  a  forsaken  spot  —  a  rustic  bench  covered 
by  running  vines  and  natural  shrubbery.  It  was 
near  a  running  spring  that  came  bounding  out  of 
natural  rocks  and  emptied  into  a  small  basin  be- 
low and  then  into  the  lake.  They  could  sit  upon 
this  bench  and  watch  the  swans  mate  in  the  lake  — 
they  could  hear  the  doves  coo  and  lonesome  whip- 
poor-will's  plaintive  call  —  they  could  hear  the  lit- 


132       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

tie  squirrel's  defiant  bark  as  he  sat  perched  high 
on  the  limbs  ready  to  dart  in  his  den  at  the  ap- 
proach of  danger.  Cleve  often  wondered  if  the 
animals  that  roamed  this  garden  as  free  and  lei- 
surely as  though  it  were  a  native  heath,  if  they  ever 
knew  or  even  cared  whether  it  was  a  cheap  imita- 
tion of  nature. 

"  It  seems  a  long  time  since  we  were  your  guests, 
and  had  you  ever  stopped  to  think,  this  is  the  first 
time  I  have  seen  you  since  we  returned  to  the  city." 

"  Yes,"  he  answered.  "  This  is  true.  I  have  not 
seen  you  since  you  played  that  horrible  kimono 
game  on  me.  I  have  hardly  recovered  from  the 
thoughts  of  it.  Did  you  really  want  to  hide  from 
me  when  you  jumped  behind  that  divan,  or  was  it 
a  subterfuge  ?  " 

"  I  deny  it.  It  was  no  subterfuge.  You  are  the 
one  that  used  a  ruse  and  came  into  our  private 
apartments  uninvited.  We  girls  thought  we  would 
teach  you  a  lesson,  while  the  offense  was  fresh  on 
your  memory." 

"  You  certainly  gave  most  fiendish  punishment. 
I  hope  no  man  will  be  put  to  the  same  experience. 
To  endure  those  tortures  again  would  turn  my  hair 
white." 

"  I  know  we  treated  you  badly,  dearie,"  she  said 
in  babylike  sympathy.  "  Forgive  us  ?  "  she  con- 
tinued stroking  his  dark  hair  softly. 

"  No.  I  can't  forgive,"  he  maintained  stoutly, 
at  least  as  long  as  it  was  such  bliss  to  hold  it 
against  them  or  her. 

"  They  treated  my  little  boy  very  cruelly,  didn't 
they  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  I  am  mad  at  them  for  doing  it." 


THE   WEIRD    SPELL  133 

"  And  you'll  not  forgive  us  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  No.  Indeed,  I  will  not.  I  am  mad  —  I  am 
very  mad  —  Gee !  but  I  am  mad.  The  idea  of 
putting  a  female  garment  on  a  man.  Terrors ! 
Shuddering  lightning!  Princess  of  Bombast! 
Kildees  of  hightower !  Colossus  of  high-pok-a- 
tan ! !  Rip-snorting,  fire-eating  Ki-yi-kip-i-tan ! ! ! 
Mad ! ! ! !  Yes,  I  am  mad,  woman,  I'm  mad ! ! ! ! ! 

"  Cleve,  my  darling,  you  should  not  use  such 
profanity,"  she  said  putting  her  arms  around  his 
neck  and  smoothing  back  his  tossed  hair,  and  using 
a  tone  of  voice  that  would  suppress  the  strong  ad- 
jectives that  came  from  his  lips  like  the  rapid  fire 
of  a  machine  gun :  "  I'm  the  beauty  taming  the 
beast,"  she  added,  after  a  time. 

A  subtle  smile  crossed  his  face  as  he  asked, 
"And  you  are  not  mad  with  me  for  speaking  to 
that  Woman !  " 

Her  face  became  suddenly  achromatic  —  the  nat- 
ural flush  and  rose  tint  of  her  features  went  pale 
and  hueless.  The  glassy  and  lack  of  luster  look  in 
her  eyes  startled  him  —  he  saw  he  had  asked  too 
much  —  she  was  a  different  creature  —  her  aver- 
sions were  strong  evidence  that  she  [hated  this 
woman. 

"  You  are  asking  too  much  of  me,  sir,"  she  said 
superciliously,  rising  and  standing  like  an  aveng- 
ing angel.  "  I  do  not  know  that  woman,  but  her 
actions  make  me  believe  that  she  is  something 
more  to  you  than  a  friend." 

In  the  dull  wanish  glow  of  the  garden  her  eyes 
seemed  to  flash  sparks  like  burning  rockets  from 
her  ashy  and  decolorized  face.  Weird  and  un- 
canny-like  —  dressed  in  white,  standing  between 


134       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

him  and  the  dark  waters  of  the  lake  —  her  spirit, 
ghost-like  and  unearthly  for  the  moment  made  him 
speechless.  Her  apparition,  shade  or  shadow,  came 
like  a  flashlight  vision  of  the  haunted  and  demoni- 
acal. Her  soft  folds  were  winding  like  a  burial 
shroud.  The  scene  was  cadaverous  and  the  lake 
looked  as  if  it  was  her  sepulchre  —  the  mild  wind 
the  death  march  —  the  streamlet's  falling  waters  on 
the  rocks  was  the  sermon.  "  I  am  going,"  she 
spoke  again  in  much  bitterness. 

"  Going !  "  he  repeated,  as  her  voice  came  to  him. 

"  Yes,  I  am.  Didn't  care  for  Greyhouse  being 
with  her,  not  at  all.  When  you,  Lord  Summer- 
south  and  everybody  seemed  to  be  so  taken  in  by 
her,  it  hurt  beyond  endurance." 

"  She's  less  than  a  friend  to  me,"  he  assured. 
"  Why,  I  hardly  know  the  woman.  She  was  using 
Lord  Summersouth  and  myself  to  make  Greyhouse 
jealous  and  to  strengthen  her  position  in  our  soci- 
ety; can't  you  see  her  object?" 

She  began  to  reason  that  he  cared  not  for  this 
woman  and  with  a  faint  smile  and  low  laugh,  she 
said,  "  I  have  changed,  Cleve,  I  am  not  going  so 
soon." 

"  I  am  glad  now  we  see  each  other  in  the  true 
light,  and  by  the  way,  Marion,  how  would  you  like 
to  present  that  Aviation  cup  —  I'll  win  it  — ' 

She  went  pale  again.  He  had  made  the  fatal 
mistake  of  placing  this  woman  before  her  vision  in 
another  role.  She  had  uttered  a  smothered  scream, 
and  was  falling  off  the  bench  —  he  took  hold  of 
her  and  drew  her  to  an  upright  position.  Seizing 
a  drinking  cup  from  the  fountain,  filling  it  with 
sparkling  liquid,  he  soon  revived  her.  When  she 


THE    WEIRD    SPELL  135 

opened  her  eyes,  she  asked,  "  Please  don't  leave 
me.  Don't  call  any  one  —  I  am  right  now." 

"What  on  earth,"  he  ventured  frightened. 

"  I  am  right  now,"  she  repeated,  trying  to  smile 
and  observing^  him  intently.  Then  gazing  toward 
the  lake :  "  What  do  you  suppose  I  saw  just  now?  " 

"  I  can't  imagine,"  he  answered  anxiously. 

"  I  saw  —  "  she  faltered  —  "  that  woman  —  she 
was  speaking  to  you  —  and  the  jeweled  cup." 

Terrors!  The  double  vision;  certainly,  this 
condition  was  becoming  very  uncanny.  "  Nonsense ! 
it's  all  a  myth,"  he  declared  to  himself  —  "it's  a 
chimera  of  her  jealous  brain."  His  excitement  in- 
creased until  he  exclaimed  aloud,  "  Marion !  that 
woman  and  the  International  Meet  had  nothing  to 
do  with  us." 

"  Perhaps  not,"  she  murmured  a  reply ;  "  but  I 
saw  her  as  plain  as  if  she  had  been  standing  right 
before  us." 

"You  saw  a  cup  also?" 

"  A  wonderful  one,"  she  answered. 

"  Describe  it,"  he  requested. 

She  told  what  she  had  seen  of  it  in  minute  detail. 
Cleve  knew  that  she  had  never  seen  it,  and  how  she 
could  state  the  number  of  its  jewels  so  accurately 
was  beyond  his  comprehension.  On  several  occa- 
sions he  had  been  a  close  competitor  for  this  trophy, 
which  was  presented  to  the  association  by  the  King 
of  England,  and  was  now  the  property  of  the  Ger- 
man Club  which  had  been  successful  in  France  at 
the  last  Meet.  Where  he  had  been  in  the  running 
all  through  the  race  and  lost  by  a  few  yards,  not- 
withstanding the  fact  that  his  motor  worked  badly. 
The  more  he  thought  of  her  vision  the  more  com- 


136       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

plex  it  became  and  he  could  only  reply :  "  I  cannot 
understand,  and  I  cannot  dispute  it." 

"  I  only  see  it  when  something  happens  to  me, 
such  as  fainting/'  she  added. 

"  I  can't  understand/'  he  repeated.  "  It's  all  a 
great  puzzle.  I  can  say,  however,  in  reference  to 
this  woman,  she  cares  no  more  for  me  than  you  do 
for  Greyhouse." 

She  started  at  this  statement;  turned  her  face 
from  him :  "  Well,  then,  I  am  satisfied,"  she  said 
in  a  husky  voice. 

Suddenly,  as  if  all  the  celestial  harps  were  in 
harmony  the  huge  organ  began  to  play.  The 
Heavens  had  opened. 

"  My  God !  "  he  exclaimed  in  an  undertone,  "  it's 
that  woman  or  spirit  at  the  organ  again."  He  felt 
the  tightening  grip  of  Marion's  hand  on  his  arm 
and  the  jealous  gleam  from  her  eyes  —  it  was 
stronger  than  ever  before.  She  tried  to  speak,  but 
the  muscles  of  her  mouth  prevented  sound.  This 
score  was  a  different  one.  It  Was  wild,  weary  and 
gruesome,  and  as  if  some  dying  soul  cried  for  a 
friendly  face  before  it  departed  on  the  unknown 
river,  on  which  no  boatman  returns. 

The  atmosphere  became  charged  with  some  in- 
visible force  that  benumbed  the  senses.  With  the 
effect  of  death  a  melancholy  condition  unpowered 
him.  He  glanced  at  Marion  —  her  eyes  were  soft 
and  tears  were  on  her  cheeks,  accompanied  by  low 
jerky  sobs.  He  tried  to  rise  but  his  limbs  felt  like 
so  much  lead  and  he  fell  back  to  the  bench  as  if 
composed  of  so  much  metal.  In  mad  determina- 
tion he  combated  his  deadly,  odylic  force  to  no 
avail.  At  last  he  lost  control  and  acted  at  the  voli- 


THE    WEIRD    SPELL  137 

tion  of  some  higher  intelligence  like  an  obedient 
child. 

What  was  in  those  music  waves  that  came  like 
a  magic  wand  and  made  everything  bend  to  it? 
What  sorcery  —  what  black  art  —  what  demonal- 
ogy  lay  hidden  in  those  incantatory  notes  that  fell 
with  gripping  cabalistic  and  talismanic  effect?  Was 
it  the  voice  of  Satan  or  God?  —  was  it  a  necro- 
mancer at  the  organ  sending  a  message  to  the  liv- 
ing from  the  City  of  Necropolis?  —  was  it  a  mes- 
sage to  the  worshipers  of  Baal  (The  Golden  Calf) 
and  this  modern  commercialism?  Was  it  a  warn- 
ing —  "a  handwriting  on  the  wall  ? "  These 
thoughts  overwhelmed  his  obfuscated  brain. 

What  occult  art  ?  —  occult  science  was  in  that 
music  which  cast  its  enchanting  evil  eye  and  fee- 
fan- fum  spells  in  its  weird  phylacteric  texts  in  its 
physic  way?  What  hocus-pocus,  sortilege  and 
divination  was  in  the  throbbing  pulse  of  the  fetish 
organ?  What  inspiration  was  prophetically  re- 
vealed? What  ministering  spirit  touched  those 
ivories  that  sent  those  hallowed  and  celestial  com- 
munications to  a  calloused  world?  Surely,  it  was 
Humanity's  electrobiology  that  held  them  in  this 
mesmeric  spell.  He  felt  Marion's  arm  about  his 
neck  and  as  he  kissed  her  tear-stained  cheek  he 
heard  a  piercing  feminine  cry.  He  looked  toward 
the  other  side  of  the  lake  and  saw  a  woman  swoon 
and  a  man  run  away. 

The  pale  lurid  light  of  the  garden  grew  a  shade 
darker  and  then  darker  still,  and  as  he  opened 
wider  his  eyes  to  pierce  the  gloom  he  heard  the 
organ  notes  grow  fainter  and  fainter,  until  at  last, 


138       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

they  were  swallowed  up  by  the  murmur  of  the  little 
stream. 

The  birds  who  had  so  joyously  chirped  in  the 
shrubbery  had  long1  since  hushed  their  plaintive 
notes,  and  were,  perhaps,  listening  to  a  far  greater 
music  than  their  little  throats  could  ever  produce. 
As  the  music  died  away  a  complete  silence  en- 
veloped him.  Even  Marion,  her  arms  about  him, 
seemed  far  away  —  no  sound  came  to  him  —  he 
felt  like  being  lifted  on  angels'  wings,  and  higher 
and  higher  he  appeared  to  go.  Suddenly,  the  dark- 
ness was  dispelled  and  it  began  to  grow  light  — 
brighter  and  brighter ;  and  he  found  himself  in  a 
strange  land  with  wonderful  surroundings  —  he 
was  in  Heaven  —  the  Olympus  or  the  Elysiaii 
fields ! 

He  was  in  the  garden  of  Hesperides  —  grand 
and  paradisical.  He  could  see  the  inhabitants  of 
this  new  place  —  they  were  idealistic,  happy  and 
contented.  The  streets  were  of  marble  and  glis- 
tened in  white  and  cleanliness.  Every  building  was 
a  palace  graced  by  lawns  and  adorned  with  flowers. 
No  structures  of  iron  pyramided  to  the  clouds  and 
lost  themselves  in  the  skies  greeted  his  eyes.  He 
saw  no  Pit  with  dirty  avenues  or  Clouddwellers' 
skyscrapers.  He  saw  only  a  glimpse  of  the  Arcadia 
and  the  City  of  Brotherly  love. 

He  awoke  from  the  dream.  The  organ  had 
ceased.  Marion  was  by  his  side  and  she  exclaimed : 
"  Cleve,  where  have  you  been  ?  I  thought  some 
Archangel,  the  host  of  Heaven,  came  down  and 
carried  you  up  to  the  morning  star." 

"Dear,  I  feel  numb  and  chilly,"  he  answered,  as 
the  haze  cleared  and  he  recovered  control  of  his 


THE   WEIRD    SPELL  139 

limbs.  "  I  heard  a  woman  scream  a  moment  ago, 
perhaps  we  had  better  see  what  is  the  trouble." 

"  Very  well,"  she  said,  and  he  caught  the  cold 
gleam  of  her  eyes  as  she  arose.  <f  I  heard  the  first 
sound,"  she  continued,  "  then  something  came  over 
me.  I  dreamed  you  went  up  with  some  Angels.  I 
thought  that  Woman  was  with  them." 

"  You  are  talking  about  that  organ  ?  "  he  asked. 
She  was  such  a  different  creature  he  thought  and 
continued,  "  we  had  better  quit  talking  about  the 
dream  and  this  woman  and  try  to  be  of  some  as- 
sistance to  those  in  trouble." 

She  acquiesced :  "  I  hope  nothing  has  happened 
to  the  guests." 

A  short  way  up  the  path  they  met  Miss  Jackson. 
She  was  terribly  excited  and  looked  as  though  she 
had  had  some  dreadful  experience.  Her  face  was 
greatly  agitated  and  she  carried  herself  as  if  she 
might  have  been  fifty  years  older.  Her  features 
were  contorted  and  the  luster  of  her  eyes  was  gone. 
She  was  walking  hurriedly  towards  them. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  some  human  face,"  she  cried. 
"  Bedeviled  spell !  Marion,  did  you  too  experience 
this  open  seance  with  the  devil?  I  hope  I  shall 
never  go  through  such  a  scene  again.  Why,  when 
the  music  started,"  she  went  on,  "  Lord  Summer- 
south  acted  like  a  mad  man.  He  tore  his  hair  and 
cried  like  a  baby  for  Naples.  He  talked  of  a 
woman  whom  he  knew  and  had  heard  her  play  like 
that.  I  tried  for  several  minutes  to  keep  him  with 
me,  but  he  quit  me  cold.  Then,  all  of  a  sudden,  a 
ghost  came  before  my  eves.  I  tried  to  keep  my 
courage.  I  tried  to  think  it  was  all  my  imagina- 
tion ;  but,  when  this  apparition  came  again,  it  was 


140       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

no  use.  It  caught  me  and  I  cried  aloud.  I'll  tell 
you  now  I  don't  want  to  go  through  this  again. 
No,  never ! " 

"Where  is  the  Englishman?"  asked  Marion. 

"  Don't  ask  me.  The  Lord  knows,  I  don't,"  she 
answered  with  a  serious  look  coming  into  her  eyes. 
"  I'm  half  sick  of  him  anyway." 

"  Don't  say  it,  Jackie.  You  know  you  are  wild 
about  him,"  returned  Marion. 

"  If  you  are  not  afraid  to  stay  here  alone,"  put 
in  Cleve,  "  I  will  look  for  him.  I  don't  think  you 
should  censure  Nell  as  we  (all  four  of  us)  have  had 
the  same  gruesome  spell  placed  over  us." 

His  words  lifted  a  great  load  from  her  heart, 
and  her  face  brightened  as  she  said,  "  I  am  so  glad 
to  hear  you  say  that.  I  thought  the  Englishman 
and  myself  were  the  only  fools  in  the  garden.  It 
was  hard  to  tell  which  one  of  us  was  the  craziest." 

"  Then  go  to  the  retreat,"  said  Cleve. 

"  It's  the  best  place  to  wait,"  said  Nell.  "  We 
started  to  go  there  when  we  left  the  dining-room, 
but  the  Earl  wanted  to  look  the  place  over  and 
when  we  started  there  we  discovered  you  were 
there  already,  and  as  we  didn't  want  to  see  ...  we 
turned  our  attention  in  the  other  direction." 

"  Oh !  so  kind  and  very  thoughtful  of  you, 
Jackie,"  returned  Marion,  ironically. 

"They  wanted  to  do  the  same  thing,"  put  in 
Cleve.  "  Now  honest,  Jackie,  wasn't  that  the  rea- 
son you  left  us  So  readily  ?  " 

"Why,  Cleve,  I  didn't  think  you  could  be  so 
rude,"  interceded  Marion. 

"  Thanks,  Marion,"  said  Nell,  blushing.  "  How- 
ever, this  is  not  finding  the  Lord  of  Summersouth." 


THE    WEIRD    SPELL  141 

"  Then  go  and  find  him/'  pleaded  Marion,  ad- 
dressing Cleve.  "  You  want  him." 

"  Oh,  I  suppose  so ;  but  if  he  is  going  to  act  so 
silly  again,  I  think  it  best  for  him  to  stay  where  he 
is,  unless  he  is  already  in  the  mad-house,"  she  re- 
plied. 


CHAPTER    XVI 

THE   ENGLISHMAN    VISITS    MURD'S   ROW 

As  Cleve  started  to  find  Lord  Summersouth  he 
thought  he  would  go  by  the  secret  passage  to  the 
conservatory,  but  changed  his  mind  before  enter- 
ing, and  went  through  the  glaring  rotunda.  Mrs. 
Norton  and  the  guests  were  just  coming  out  of  the 
drawing  room,  and  when  he  met  them  they  were 
very  excited,  having  also  come  under  the  spell  of 
the  organ ;  but  they  became  somewhat  relieved 
when  he  told  them  the  girls  were  still  in  the  garden. 

Cleve's  object  in  going  through  the  lobby  was  to 
see  what  effect  the  music  had  in  this  place.  There 
he  found  the  throng  wondering  and  bombarding 
each  other  with  many  questions.  Here  he  did  not 
stop,  but  continued  on. 

His  purpose  in  going  for  the  Earl  was  twofold 
—  he  wanted  to  see  Humanity  again  —  he  did  not 
deny  it  himself  —  he  wanted  to  see  and  thank  her 
for  the  music. 

The  place  was  brilliantly  lighted  —  the  same 
flashlight  performance  of  the  lobby  appeared  to  be 
going  on  —  heavy  draperies  of  spangled  gold  hung 
high  above  the  polished  silver  floor.  The  walls 
were  engraved  with  descriptive  scenery  and  the 
ceiling  was  a  mass  of  innumerable  lights,  with 
every  shade  and  color  and  the  eternal  yellow  always 
predominating. 


THE    ENGLISHMAN    VISITS    MURD's    ROW        143 

He  paused  before  the  silver  door  which  was 
made  in  imitation  of  an  oaken  door  of  some  medi- 
aeval castle.  It  was  ajar  and  was  supported  by 
hinges  of  gold,  and  while  it  was  heavy  and  massive 
it  opened  with  but  the  slightest  touch  of  the  finger, 
without  noise,  save  only  the  swish  of  the  air  it 
propelled.  In  the  entrance  the  huge  instrument 
with  its  many  pipes  greeted  him.  He  surveyed  the 
chamber.  "  Gone,"  he  muttered,  disappointed.  He 
looked  again  —  they  were  there  —  his  heart  beat 
faster  —  he  choked  back  the  words  that  cried, 
"Curse  that  Englishman.  What  right  had  he  to 
be  here,  anyway?  Curse  Greyhouse,  too.  What 
right  had  he  to  dine  with  her  ?  "  But,  on  second 
thought  what  grounds  did  he,  himself,  have  to 
base  a  claim ;  had  he  not  orderd  her  out  of  his 
office  —  she  had  obeyed,  and  to-night  she  spoke  to 
him  without  trace  of  anger.  He  thought,  a  woman 
like  her  was  worthy  of  any  man's  love. 

In  the  doorway  he  faltered  between  thought  and 
action.  "What  right  did  he  have  here  anyway?" 
he  thought.  He  was  already  an  engaged  man  — 
he  could  not  cast  Marion  aside.  Yes,  he  loved  her 
and  she  loved  him  and  this  Humanity  was  but  a 
passing  fancy  —  a  stranger  with  magnetic  power  — 
from  Murd's  row  (he  shuddered)  and  not  a  suit- 
able companion  for  a  Clouddweller ! 

Did  he  think  of  her  as  his  wife?  he  asked  him- 
self. Yes,  and  the  thought  startled  him.  She  his 
wife?  Impossible!  It  would  kill  his  father,  and 
decent  people  would  laugh  at  him.  But  .  .  .  the 
Englishman;  he  would  marry  her  if  she  would 
have  him.  She  was  sly  and  wanted  higher  game. 
Was  she  after  him?  Yes.  .  .  .  No,  she  cared  for 


144       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

no  man.  Free  lover,  mistress  ?  What  a  lie !  New- 
man had  branded  that  hint.  She  may  be  a  misog- 
amist  and  would  marry  no  man. 

What  business  of  his  if  the  Englishman  did  like 
Humanity?  But  why  did  he  develop  a  sudden  dis- 
like for  him  ?  Standing  there  talking  they  were  the 
only  ones  in  the  room  —  she  was  with  her  back  to 
the  organ,  her  hands  clasping  the  keyboard.  The 
Earl  was  on  the  pedestal  near  her,  so  near,  in  fact 
he  could  have  taken  her  in  his  arms,  and  Cleve 
thought  such  a  course  would  have  been  excused 
under  the  circumstances. 

Flowers  almost  hid  them  from  his  view  —  she 
appeared  so  enchanting  —  so  alluring,  the  young 
Lord  regarded  her  an  angel  and  was  ready  to  be- 
come her  servant  if  she  would  but  notice  him.  He 
felt  the  mad  inclination  to  drive  him  away  —  smash 
his  face  —  as  possibly  he  had  done  Greyhouse's. 
But  where  was  Greyhouse?  He  could  not  see  him 
with  them.  He  must  have  gone  under  cover  the 
moment  the  Lord  appeared.  However,  he  would 
watch  them  and  if  Humanity  acted  anyway  less 
than  a  lady  he  would  put  her  out  of  his  mind  for- 
ever. 

He  was  so  far  away  that  he  could  not  hear  their 
conversation,  but  she  was  shaking  her  head  and 
motioning  toward  the  empty  seats.  The  English- 
man was  trying  to  persuade  her  to  play  again,  he 
thought,  and  she  was  explaining  that  should  she 
play  again  the  place  would  likely  become  crowded 
again.  Why  did  she  want  to  spend  her  time  with 
this  young  Earl  when  she  could  be  doing  a  far 
greater  good  by  playing.  Thus  being  angered  and 
losing  control  of  himself  he  walked  boldly  toward 


THE    ENGLISHMAN     VISITS    MURD'S    ROW        145 

them.  Humanity  looked  at  him  with  an  expression 
of  face  that  quickly  drove  him  to  explain  his  actions. 

"  Lord  Summersouth,"  he  began  angrily,  and 
with  condemnation  in  his  voice,  "  Miss  Jackson 
has  sent  me  to  follow  you  and  ask  that  you  return. 
She  wants  you." 

"  Tell  Miss  Jackson  I  am  engaged  at  present,"  he 
answered  curtly,  turning  his  back  to  Cleve  and  re- 
suming his  conversation  with  Humanity. 

Humanity  uttered  a  little  liquid  laugh  and  looked 
him  over  coolly,  and  addressing  the  Earl,  she  said : 
"  And  you  are  not  afraid  to  go  home  with  me  ?  " 
seemingly  to  forget  that  Cleve  was  near. 

"  No,  I  am  not,"  he  replied.  "  Just  let  me  —  it 
is  all  I  ask.  I  will  go  anywhere,  everywhere,  noth- 
ing this  side  of  the  stygian  shore  will  stop  me. 
I'll  —  " 

"  That  will  do,"  she  interrupted.  "  I  am  not  a 
Clouddweller.  I  live  in  the  Pit.  Will  you  go  there 
to  my  home  ?  " 

"I  will.  Just  let  me  —  just  let  me,"  he  contin- 
ued to  cry. 

Cleve  felt  stung  —  slapped  full  in  the  face  with 
a  damp  towel.  "  Curse  them  both,"  he  thought. 
He  tried  to  go,  but  somehow  he  could  not.  He  was 
forced  to  listen. 

"  Think,  Lord  Summersouth,  of  your  social  os- 
tracism," she  commanded. 

"Social  ostracism  with  whom?  —  these  people?" 
he  asked  sneeringly.  "  These  Americans  ?  Why, 
they  are  a  bunch  of  mawkish  snobs.  Their  common 
ancestry  sticks  out  on  their  rugged  faces  like  knots 
on  an  untrimmed  gate  post." 


146       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  I  demand  an  apology,"  said  Cleve  advancing 
threateningly,  his  face  flamed  and  determined. 

"  Men,  you  forget  yourselves/'  said  Humanity. 
"  If  you  are  going  to  be  brutal  and  show  your  ani- 
mal natures,  I  must  excuse  myself.  I  have  no  de- 
sire to  witness  a  scene  of  jungle  life.  This  is  no 
place  for  combat  and  if  you  are  going  to  do  this, 
I  will  take  my  leave.  You,  Mr.  Clevendor,  have 
much  to  learn." 

Cleve  stopped  short,  but  the  fighting  blood  was 
still  in  his  face  —  he  longed  to  beat  the  English- 
man's head  into  a  pulp.  Perhaps  he  had  acted 
rudely  by  his  quick  resentment  and  he  showed  his 
common  ancestry  by  his  readiness  to  fight. 

"  Forgive  me,"  he  pleaded,  addressing  Humanity. 

"  Certainly,"  she  answered ;  "  but  you  must  first 
apologize  to  Lord  Summersouth.  He  also  owes  you 
an  apology  —  you  were  both  to  blame  for  this  af- 
fair. It  was  ungentlemanly  in  you  both,  and  now 
since  you  have  shaken  hands  "  —  as  they  took  each 
other's  hand  in  their  own  —  "I  still  think  you  are 
both  good  men  after  all." 

She  went  on,  and  now  addressing  the  English- 
man :  "  And  you,  wish  to  go  to  my  home?  " 

"  Yes,"  he  returned  elated. 

"  You  will  go  with  me  to  Murd's  row  ? "  she 
asked. 

"  Yes.  I  will.  I  will  go  with  you  to  any  place. 
Where  you  reside  there  are  good  people;  if  this 
were  not  so,  I  am  sure  you  would  not  stay  there," 
he  said. 

"  Have  you  heard  of  the  Murds  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Yes.     I  know  of  them,"  he  replied. 

"  You  are  not  astonished  at  me  —  " 


THE    ENGLISHMAN    VISITS    MURD'S    ROW        147 

"  I  will  live  with  you  and  them,  if  you  will  only 
let  me,"  he  cried. 

In  the  bottom-most  depths  of  his  heart  he  wished 
all  the  evil  in  the  world  would  blight  the  invidious 
Englishman's  life.  The  fool  would  go  to  the  Pit  — 
to  that  loathsome  place,  just  to  be  with  this  woman. 
He  would  give  up  his  rank,  his  wealth  and  his 
present  society  just  to  be  near  her.  But,  why  not? 
Surely  she  was  worth  the  all  of  it.  What  made 
these  exotic  thoughts  creep  into  his  mind?  What 
did  he  care  for  a  thousand  Humanities?  She  was 
just  a  woman  and  he  could  have  any  woman  his 
fancy  desired.  Of  course,  he  could  get  Humanity 
if  he  wanted  her. 

They  were  about  to  go.  Humanity  turned  and 
addressed  Cleve:  "Mr.  Qevendor,  you  have  noth- 
ing of  interest  to  say  to  me,  so  I  will  bid  you  good 
night."  She  merely  glanced  at  him  as  she  con- 
ferred a  wondrous  smile  on  the  Earl. 

Did  she  dare  tell  him  to  go.  She  did,  and  he 
heard  her  only  too  well.  She  had  answered  him  as 
he  had  answered  her.  She  told  him  that.  She 
asked  him  and  decided  in  favor  of  the  other,  and 
right  in  his  own  hotel,  too. 

He  had  been  chasing  rainbows  —  this  woman 
cared  nothing  for  him  —  he  was  very  egotistical  — 
but  he  must  be  recognized. 

"This  I'll  not  accept,"  he  answered  stubbornly. 

"  Then  I  will  go,"  she  returned,  offering  the  Earl 
her  arm. 


CHAPTER   XVII 

THE   ATTEMPTED   ASSAULT 

CLEVE  watched  Humanity  and  the  Englishman 
as  they  walked  down  the  aisle  and  out  through  the 
door  —  he  knew  not  what  to  do  or  say  —  he  was 
dumbfounded  and  so  astonished  —  he  had  never 
been  snubbed.  Her  wonderful  independent  nature 
made  him  ponder  —  he  could  not  unfold  to  himself 
the  mystery  of  who  she  was. 

A  desire  to  follow  them  seized  him,  but  they  were 
bound  to  Murd's  row  and  he  could  not  hardly  afford 
to  go  there.  And  besides  he  wanted  to  be  true  to 
the  woman  he  was  to  marry. 

At  all  hazards,  he  wanted  to  take  Summersouth 
back  to  Nell,  but  since  he  had  refused,  what  could 
lie  do?  If  he  told  her  he  had  jilted  her  for  this 
woman  it  might  make  her  suffer  greatly  —  the 
thought  bothered  him  —  perhaps,  a  story  he  might 
invent,  "that  he  had  not  seen  him/'  would  do  her 
good  and  save  her  the  ordeal  of  crying.  But  it  was 
preposterous  to  think  of  her  doing  so  —  he  had 
never  seen  her  shed  a  tear  —  her  eyes  were  without 
lachrymal  glands;  but,  this  was  different,  the  Eng- 
lishman quitting  her  might  effect  her  pride  and 
possibly  make  her  do  so. 

He  made  his  way  back  to  the  bench  in  the  garden 
where  the  girls  were  still  waiting  for  him.  "  Did 


THE   ATTEMPTED   ASSAULT  149 

you  find  him  ? "  Nell  greeted,  hardly  giving  time 
for  him  to  come  within  range  of  her  voice. 

He  at  first  thought  he  would  tell  the  truth,  but 
decided  it  would  best  to  break  the  news  slowly  and 
more  gentle.  "  No,"  he  answered. 

The  girls  were  silent  —  not  a  sound  was  audible 
save  the  water  of  the  little  stream  bounding  over 
the  rocks  pulled  by  the  law  of  gravitation. 

"  Any  signs  of  him  ?  " 

"  Yes  —  to  be  honest  —  I  saw  him  with  that 
woman  Greyhouse  had!  with  him  at  dinner  to- 
night." 

This  confession  brought  acrimony  in  her  face  — 
a  gleam  from  the  black  depths  of  her  eyes,  and  he 
knew  Summersouth  was  getting  a  furious  mental 
drubbing. 

"  I  wouldn't  care,"  consoled  Marion.  "  He  is 
unworthy  of  you,  and  is  a  c —  " 

"  A  contemptible  puppy,"  supplied  Cleve,  remem- 
bering what  he  had  said  about  Americans.  "  I 
think  he  has  no  regard  for  us." 

"  I  don't  care  so  much,"  said  Nell,  tears  coming 
to  her  eyes ;  "  but  he  has  hurt  my  feelings  and  I 
can  never  forgive  him.  No.  Never !  " 

"Nell,  I  wouldn't  do  that,"  cheered  Marion, 
looking  anxiously  at  Cleve.  "  Though  it  is  a  shame, 
and  I  can't  blame  you." 

"  I  am  not  grieving,"  she  replied,  looking  up 
quickly  with  watery  drops  on  her  cheeks  —  "I  mean 
—  I  mean  not  over  this  English  monkey.  He  has 
quit  me  because  he  has  discovered  that  we  are 
poor  now  —  money  was  the  all  he  was  after.  My 
poor  old  father  .  .  ." 

"  I  can  give  your  father  a  position,"  brightened 


150       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

Cleve,  trying  to  uplift  the  cloud  that  had  come  upon 
her. 

"  No ;    father  will  not,  or  cannot  accept." 

"  Don't  —  Jackie ;  don't  say  it,"  interrupted 
Marion.  "  Your  father  will  and  must  take  this 
position." 

"  I  would  consider  it  an  insult  if  offered  by  any 
one  else  besides  Cleve  .  .  .  and,  I  can't  think  of 
papa  working.  I  ...  can't  bear  it.  It  is  awful," 
she  moaned,  and  covered  her  face  with  her  hands. 

"Don't,  Nell.  For  the  Lord's  sake,  don't!  I 
can't  hear  you  cry  that  way ;  and  perhaps,  you  are 
not  so  bad  off  after  all,"  comforted  Marion. 

To  Cleve  women  were  unknown  quantities. 
Here  was  this  beautiful  girl  ready  to  tie  herself  for 
life  to  a  man  she  didn't  love  in  order  to  better  or 
maintain  her  social  standing.  She  was  pretty,  well 
shaped  and  vivacious  enough  to  set  any  man's 
heart  afire. 

Jackson  &  Company  had  been  the  last  opposition 
of  the  syndicate  stores  and  had  been  allowed  to 
exist  only  through  friendship  on  the  part  of  Cleve's 
father.  Now  this  small  Company  would  or  had 
become  a  trouble  maker  and  stood  in  the  way  of  the 
C.  &  N.  Co.'s  big  business  idea.  Nell's  father 
would  not  work  for  the  Consolidated  Farm  &  De- 
velopment Co.,  because  he  had  a  thousand  curses 
for  Norton  and  all  the  Norton  interests.  Cleve 
was  confident  his  father  knew  nothing  of  the  failure 
or  any  of  the  circumstances  leading  up  or  around 
it.  Norton  was  the  operative  general  and  was  with- 
out doubt  the  cause  of  all  this  and  all  the  trouble 
in  the  Jackson  family.  Norton,  he  believed,  had 
some  evil  motive,  other  than  mercenary  satisfaction, 


THE  ATTEMPTED  ASSAULT  151 

and  of  this  his  father  had  no  knowledge.  He  must 
be  told  —  he  must  know  and  if  no  one  else  would 
tell,  he  would  do  it  himself. 

"  No,  Marion,  this  is  the  last  time  I  shall  ever 
see  you.  I  am  going  away/'  she  said. 

"  You  are  not  going  to  leave  us  ? "  they  both 
pleaded. 

"  Yes/'  with  bitterness  in  her  voice,  "  I  am  going 
I  know  not  where.  The  Pit  ...  I  guess,  will  find 
me!" 

"  Mercy  sakes,  Jackie !  Do  you  know  what  you 
are  saying?  Please  don't  talk  like  that,"  Marion 
supplicated  with  earnestness. 

"  Yes,  I  am  going.  There's  everything  but  sin- 
cerity in  this  society  —  it's  rotten  —  I'm  insulted 
often,  and  by  whom  you  would  least  suspect.  My 
father  knows  and  opposed  my  coming  to-night," 
she  affirmed. 

She  was  crying  and  threw  herself  into  Marion's 
arms,  sobbing :  "  Kiss  me  before  I  go ;  you  have 
been  my  only  sister." 

"  Jackie,  this  is  foolishness  !  " 

"  You  don't  understand.  I  must  go.  The  Pit 
will  find  me!" 

"  That's  where  Summersouth  went  to-night," 
said  Cleve. 

"  I'll  find  him  then,"  she  returned  mockingly. 

"  Think  of  those  mean  men  and  women  —  the 
class  you  will  have  to  associate  with.  Just  think  of 
it,"  Marion  beseeched. 

"  No  worse  than  I  have  found  here,"  she  an- 
swered bitterly. 

"  Why,  Jackie !     How  can  you  say  this  ?  " 

"Yes,  and  perhaps  as  bad.     They  are  no  worse 


152       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

in  the  Pit.  The  only  difference,  there  they  tear 
rags ;  here  they  tear  silks,"  she  affirmed  emphatic- 
ally. 

"  Why,  girlie !  Do  you  know  what  you  are  say- 
ing ?  "  she  cried. 

'  You,  perhaps,  will  never  know  —  you  are  pro- 
tected —  I'm  not.  Your  money  shields  you,  and  if 
I  remained  here  without  it,  my  name  would  be  a 
byword  throughout  eternity,"  she  said. 

She  gave  a  low  hysterical  laugh  and  ran  rapidly 
away  from  them.  Marion  attempted  to  follow  her 
but  Cleve  retained  her  by  holding  her  arm.  "  No 
use,"  he  consoled,  "  no  use,  Marion.  When  a 
woman  talks  that  way,  there's  a  reason." 

She  had  not  gone  far  when  they  heard  a  sharp 
scream,  and  Cleve  rushed  in  all  haste  to  her  leaving 
Marion  behind. 

What  he  saw  proved  the  truth  of  her  remarks. 
She  was  struggling  in  the  arms  of  a  big  man  —  she 
cried  again  for  help  — •  he  yelled,  "  I'm  coming." 

The  villain  slunk  away  —  the  girl  freed  from  the 
gorilla-like    embrace    went    running   on    her    way. 
The  man  dodged  behind  the  shrubbery  —  he  saw 
him  crouching  in  the  bushes.     It  was  enough  — 
he  saw  it  was  Norton. 

"  For  the  sake  of  God !  Man,  run !  Your 
daughter  is  coming !  "  he  cried. 

"  Is  it  you,  Cleve  ?  "  he  heard  Norton  ask. 

"  Yes.  And  if  you  were  not  Marion's  father  I 
would  —  "  he  paused  in  his  vehement  answer. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

THE   FAILURE  OF   JACKSON   AND   COMPANY 

THE  following*  morning  the  deep  sounding  voice 
of  the  Daily  Labor  roused  Cleve  from  his  slumbers 
—  he  rubbed  his  eyes  and  sat  upright  as  the 
words  reached  his  ears :  "  Last  evening1,  Miss  Nell 
Jackson  (daughter  of  the  broken  store  magnate) 
was  insulted.  It  is  thought  by  many  the  assault 
was  committed  by  a  young  English  Nobleman  who 
is  a  guest  of  the  Hotel  Marion.  We  wish  to  make 
this  correction  on  behalf  of  Lord  Summersouth. 
He  was  not  in  the  place  at  the  time  the  dastardly 
act  was  attempted,  therefore,  it  must  have  been 
made  by  one  of  those  wealthy  monsters  who  dwell 
in  that  bloodthirsty  rendezvous." 

Cleve  was  now  wide  awake  —  that  is  one  time,  he 
thought,  that  miserable  magniphone  has  told  the 
truth.  It  continued :  "  This  proves  that  those  aris- 
tocratic inmates  will  not  only  rob  you  of  your  life's 
blood,  but  women,  as  well,  are  ever  an  object  of 
prey." 

Following  this  sentence  he  closed  the  small  re- 
flectorscopephone,  and  glanced  at  the  time  of  day. 
It  was  late,  really  later  than  he  thought.  When 
he  left  Marion  the  night  before  he  knew  the  hour 
was  between  midnight  and  the  grey  dawn.  His 
lateness  at  retiring  and  the  "  bell-hops  "  not  call- 


154       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

ing  accounted  for  his  hour  in  bed.  He  had  several 
matters  of  business  to  attend  to  this  morning ;  first, 
was  to  see  his  father  about  the  aviation  meet  and 
this  ordeal  he  dreaded  very  much. 

As  he  slipped  out  of  bed  he  wondered  what  had 
become  of  the  Englishman,  and  what  explanation 
he  would  give  for  his  behavior.  Nell  was  gone, 
and  perhaps,  gone  for  good.  "  Poor  girl,"  he 
thought,  "  it's  the  law  of  the  game."  A  dark  scowl 
crossed  his  face  as  he  thought  of  Norton's  part. 
It  may  be  right  to  make  war  on  men,  but  on  women 
it  was  very  different. 

Mrs.  Norton  and  the  girls  censured  the  Earl  for 
Nell's  disappearance,  and  vowed  they  would  never 
have  any  more  use  for  him.  Cleve,  with  Marion's 
assistance,  explained  that  Summersouth  had  left  the 
garden  long  before  she  had  gone  away,  and  trying 
to  clear  the  Earl  and  shield  Norton,  created  a 
situation  that  took  the  strategy  of  a  diplomat  to 
handle  the  pointed  questions  propounded  to  him. 

As  few  had  access  to  the  garden  and  no  one  was 
seen  to  enter,  Mrs.  Norton  was  far  from  being 
satisfied  and  declared  intentions  of  placing  her 
private  detective  on  the  case.  But  after  Marion 
repeated  Nell's  statements  relative  to  their  society, 
Mrs.  Norton  desisted,  never  dreaming  her  hus- 
band was  the  foul  actor  that  caused  the  Jacksons' 
downfall. 

Suddenly  his  photophone  rang  and  the  English- 
man's agitated  face  appeared.  "  I  am  sorry  to 
bother  you,"  he  explained;  "but  I  have  some  very 
important  matter  I  want  to  discuss." 

"  Very   well,"   Cleve   assented ;    "  after  my   bath 


THE   FAILURE   OF    JACKSON    AND    COMPANY       155 

and  my  turn  with  my  masseur  I  will  see  you.  I 
presume  you  stayed  here  last  night  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  and,  by  Jove,  I  want  to  compliment  that 
bed.  I  only  spent  a  few  hours  in  it  —  but  I  want 
to  see  you." 

"  I  will  see  you  as  soon  as  these  fellows  get 
through  with  me." 

The  young  Lord's  face  vanished  from  the  mirror 
and  Cleve  thought,  "  quite  a  different  person  this 
morning.  Not  so  haughty  and  really  wants  to  see 
me.  Last  night  this  he  wouldn't  do."  In  the  lounge 
he  found  him  excited  and  wearing  a  distressed  look. 

"  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you,"  he  said  piteously, 
and  his  lofty  pride  gone.  "  I  don't  know  what  to 
do,  or  how  to  act." 

"  You  have  heard  ?  "  asked  Cleve  gravely. 

"  Yes,  after  that  woman  dismissed  me  in  a  dark 
street  and  I  found  my  way  back  here  with  no  little 
ease." 

Cleve's  own  spirits  arose.  Humanity  had  toyed 
him  and  dropped  him.  Poor  fool !  He  tried  to 
play  two  women  and  had  lost  them  both. 

"  I  heard,"  he  went  on,  the  muscles  of  his  face 
tightening  and  his  long  fingers  closing  as  if  ready 
to  strike.  "  How  I  wish  I  had  been  here  to  defend 
her.  I  couldn't  sleep  for  thinking  about  it.  I  tried 
to  get  her  last  night,  but  it  was  impossible.  I  have 
just  returned  from  her  home  this  morning  —  no  one 
is  there  except  creditors  who  are  scrambling  to  get 
any  article  of  value.  I  inquired  for  the  Jacksons, 
and  one  brutal  creditor  mistook  me  for  a  relative 
and  gave  me  this  blow  on  the  head,"  he  said  placing 
his  hand  to  where  a  knot  appeared  beneath  his  hair. 


156       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"Then  you  know  what  happened  here?"  Cleve 
asked. 

"  Yes,"  he  returned  very  gloomily. 

"  You  must  feel  sorry  for  deserting  her,"  an- 
swered Cleve,  half  sympathizing  and  half  condemn- 
ing the  young  suitor. 

"  Yes,"  he  agreed,  his  face  admitting  his  guilt. 
"  I  don't  understand.  I  can't  comprehend ;  but 
then,"  he  continued  assuming  a  cynical  look, 
"  what  more  could  be  expected  of  these  American 
women  ?  " 

A  sense  of  gentlemanly  propriety  restrained 
Cleve's  strong  fingers  from  clutching  the  English- 
man's throat :  "  I  see,  Lord  Summersouth,  you  are 
inclined  to  wreak  your  vengeance  on  the  whole 
class  of  our  women,  because  one  or  two  have  jilted 
you.  You  should  respect  your  mother's  country. 
Doubtless  you  have  forgotten !  " 

"No  —  "  he  paused  — "I  have  not;  but  the 
American  women  have  apparently  changed  since 
my  mother's  day." 

"  That's  a  nice  subterfuge,  I  must  say,"  returned 
Cleve. 

"  It  is  not  one.  It's  the  truth,"  he  maintained 
stoutly.  "  I  speak  as  an  outsider  and  without  bias. 
However,  Mr.  Clevendor,  I  do  not  wish  to  debate 
this  subject,  and  am  wasting  time  that  could  be 
used  in  searching  for  Miss  Jackson." 

u  You  may  be  searching,  Mr.  Summersouth,  but 
I  am  not.  Nell  told  Marion  and  myself  where  she 
expected  to  go.  Her  destination  was  the  Pit." 

"  The  Pit !  "  exclaimed   Summersouth. 

"  Yes,  and  that  is  all  I  know  about  her." 


THE   FAILURE   OF   JACKSON   AND   COMPANY      157 

"You  have  no  inclination  to  look  for  her?"  he 
asked  pointedly. 

"  None  whatever.  She  passed  out  of  our  society 
last  night  —  she's  the  same  as  if  she  never  existed  to 
us.  My  advice  to  you,  sir,  would  be  for  you  to 
forget  her." 

"  I  cannot,"  the  young  Earl  replied. 

"  You  did  last  night  when  you  left  her  for  this 
other  woman,"  Cleve  retorted. 

"  The  whole  of  last  evening  seems  like  a  dream. 
I  had  no  control  over  myself,"  he  answered  weakly. 

"  Then,  dream  again,"  spoke  Cleve  sardonically. 

"  I  don't  understand,"  he  said,  looking  puzzled, 
"  whether  you  are  joking  or  not."  He  accented  the 
"  not "  as  though  giving  it  the  benefit  of  the  doubt. 

"  Why,"  Cleve  continued,  "  if  I  could  dream  of 
her,  I  would  all  the  time,  and  try  to  forget  this  Miss 
Jackson.  You  can't  compare  Humanity  to  any 
woman.  It  is  impossible  to  do  so.  Women  and 
men  are  only  inferiors  by  her  side." 

"  From  this  standpoint  you  are  right,"  he  said  as 
if  speaking  confidential.  "  I  have  known  both  be- 
fore, and  between  them,  I  prefer  Humanity." 

Cleve  decided  that  Summersouth  was  wild  over 
Humanity  and  couldn't  help  himself  —  he  even 
blushed  at  the  mention  of  her  name  —  he  was  crazy 
about  her.  Now  as  he  had  failed  to  get  Nell  his 
chances  were  even  worse  with  Humanity  than  no 
chance  at  all.  Perhaps  this  was  more  the  cause  of 
his  crestfallen  condition.  "  You  have  my  sym- 
pathy," said  Cleve,  "but  let  me  speak  plain.  It  is 
useless  to  follow  her  —  she  does  not  care  for  you 
now  —  you  have  made  an  impression  that  you  can 
never  right  with  her." 


158       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"You  believe  it?" 

"  I  do." 

"  Advise  me." 

"  Merely  forget,"  replied  Cleve,  emphatically. 
"  That's  all  you  can  do." 

"  Pardon  me,  gentlemen,  if  I  have  intruded," 
said  Mr.  Newman  as  he  entered  the  room. 

"  Oh,  no ;    glad  to  see  you,"  remarked  Cleve. 

"  You  have  heard  about  Peter  Jackson,"  said 
Newman  looking  at  the  young  Lord. 

"  Yes,"  they  answered. 

"  It's  a  beastly  outrage ;  that's  all  I  have  to  say 
about  it.  Your  father  knows  too,  Cleve,  and  is 
greatlv  worried.  You  know  he  let  this  business 
stand." 

"  I  know  it  was  my  father's  wish,"  Cleve  replied. 

"  What  mortifies  me,"  continued  Newman, 
"  Jackson  was  pressed  by  one  high  in  the  circle 
of  the  C.  &  N.  Co." 

"  All  because  of  a  woman,"  Cleve  supplied. 

"You  know  this?"  queried  Newman. 

"  A  supposition  only." 

"  You  intimate  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Ask  Norton,"  he  replied,  looking  at  Summer- 
south,  who  was  now  white  and  trembling. 

"  I  thought  so,"  sneered  Newman.  "  When  your 
father  is  no  more,  my  boy,  you  and  I  will  have  a 
hard  time  of  it." 

"  That  may  be  true,"  agreed  Cleve. 

"  It's  up  to  Mr.  Summersouth  to  settle  with  Nor- 
ton," returned  Newman. 

"  I  desire  no  encounter  with  a  beast  with  my 
fists ;  but  I'll  fight  either  with  sword  or  pistol," 
said  Summersouth. 


THE   FAILURE   OF    JACKSON    AND    COMPANY       159 

"Now  you  are  talking  —  go  after  him,"  sided 
Newman. 

"  Gentlemen,  this  is  outrageous ! "  cried  Cleve. 

"  For  you  ?  "  asked  Newman.  "  Place  yourself 
in  Lord  Summersouth's  position.  What  would  you 
do?" 

"  I  do  not  care  to  discuss  the  question." 

"  No.  Not  while  your  father-in-law,  to  be,  is  the 
subject,"  returned  he.  sarcastically. 

"  Mr.  Newman  —  " 

"  Yes,  it  is  Mr.  Newman  who  speaks,  my  boy, 
and  is  astonished  at  your  mildness  in  taking  things." 

Cleve  was  silent.  Newman  had  spoken  the  truth. 
Norton  was  a  man  that  should  not  be  defended. 
His  love  for  Marion  had  kept  him  from  doing 
what  Newman  and  the  Englishman  wanted  to  do 
now. 

"  This  is  not  my  fight,"  he  said.  "  If  you  wish 
to  execute  your  decision,  that  also,  is  no  affair  of 
mine.  I  have  intimated  and  have  told  you  —  I  am 
saying  all  I  am  going  to  say  about  it.  It  was  all 
because  of  a  wornan.  She  was  strong  —  the  family 
lost  all  its  financial  prestige  to  retain  one  of  its 
members.  This  states  the  cause  of  the  Jackson 
failure  in  a  few  words.  Now,  if  Mr.  Summer- 
south,  Peter  Jackson,  or  anybody  else  wants  re- 
venge, the  man  is  known !  " 

When  Cleve  finished,  Mr.  Newman  seemed  with 
great  effort  to  be  suppressing  his  hatred  of  Norton. 
Summersouth  was  nervous,  and  looked  as  if  he, 
too,  shared  Newman's  feelings. 

"  If  you  wish  to  marry  a  true  woman,  Lord 
Summersouth,"  continued  Cleve,  "  you  can  find  her 


160      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

in  the  person  of  Nell  Jackson.  She  has  stood  the 
test." 

"  Good  morning,  gentlemen,"  said  a  burly  figure 
appearing  in  the  doorway.  It  was  Norton,  himself. 
"  Mr.  Newman,  I  am  so  glad  to  see  you,"  he  went 
on,  extending  his  hand  which  Newman  took  me- 
chanically. 

"Why,"  he  continued,  "your  atmosphere  is 
rather  chilly.  I  —  "  He  glanced  at  Cleve,  which 
revealed  the  situation.  Then,  with  a  contemptu- 
ous sneer  he  said,  "  I  came  to  talk  of  the  C.  F.  &  D., 
but  I  see  I  am  an  intruder." 

"  The  Company  is  doing  well  enough,  Mr.  Nor- 
ton, thank  you,  sir,"  returned  Newman. 

"  There's  an  implication  in  the  construction  of 
your  remark  which  I  don't  like  —  which  I  don't 
like,  Mr.  Newman.  You  understand,  I  said  I  don't 
like,"  he  reiterated,  his  face  growing  red. 

"  I  heard  you  the  first  time,  Norton,"  replied 
Newman  unintimidated. 

"  I  will  excuse  such  language,  Mr.  Newman ; 
but  an  underling  should  know  his  place,"  shot 
Norton.  "  We  have  used  you  —  we  have  used  you 
well.  You  were  a  Benedict  Arnold  to  the  Pit  and 
how  soon  shall  we  expect  you  to  turn  traitor  to 
us?" 

Cleve's  hero  went  down  under  the  cutting  words 

—  once  before  when  in  the  strike  he  cowed  and  was 
ready  to  hoist  the  white  flag. 

"  And  furthermore,"  continued  Norton,  "  when 
we  wanted  a  dirty  piece  of  legislation  we  had  you 

—  and,  we  paid  you  well.     You  intellectual  prosti- 
tute !    Lord  Summersouth,"  he  said,  turning  to  him, 
"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  again  and  I  am  willing  to 


THE   FAILURE  OF   JACKSON   AND   COMPANY       161 

finance  the  Aviation  Meet  for  the  Clevendor  inter- 
est, if  Cleve's  father  does  not  favor  it.  I  will  do 
all  I  can  to  aid  you  in  this  proposition." 

The  young"  Earl  thanked  him  profusely  for  his 
generosity  and  warmed  over  to  him,  forgetting  the 
duel  he  had  fought  a  moment  ago  in  his  mind. 

"  You  will  hear  many  things  said  about  me," 
Norton  went  on,  "  calculated  to  impair  my  good 
name ;  but,  you  know  Mr.  Summersouth,  the  world 
is  jealous  of  a  successful  man  and  I  am  generous 
to  forgive  them." 

This  confused  the  Englishman  and  he  apparently 
doubted  what  Cleve  had  unfolded.  Norton  seemed 
to  be  so  liberal  —  so  fair  towards  those  who  wished 
to  do  him  wrong. 

"  I  am  accused  of,"  he  went  on,  "  and  on  the 
surface  it  may  appear  so,  but  Peter  Jackson  is  now 
behind  bars,  put  there  for  admixturing  and  adul- 
terating foods,  which  many  millions  have  put  into 
their  stomachs  not  knowing  they  were  eating 
poison.  This  is  the  latest  —  it  came  a  moment  ago. 
I  see  you  have  the  reflectorscopephone  closed  and 
doubtless  you  have  not  heard.  He  was  arrested  this 
morning  at  daylight  for  violating  the  pure  food  law. 
So,  there  you  are.  It  was  the  Government  and  not 
Norton  who  caused  the  downfall  of  this  good 
family." 

"  Mr.  Norton,  I  have  been  against  you,"  said  the 
Earl ;  "  but  I  am  now  your  friend,  and  I  want  you, 
your  wife  and  daughter  to  visit  my  home  in  Eng- 
land." 

Cleve  was  disgusted  with  the  sycophantic  Eng- 
lishman. Norton  began  to  speak :  "  I  shall  be  glad 
and  I  am  sure  Marion  and  her  mother  will  be  de- 


162       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

lighted.  My  wife  requests  the  pleasure  of  your 
company  to  lunch  to-day.  You  are  also  invited," 
he  said  turning  to  Cleve ;  "  but  I  should  not  ask 
you  as  you  have  a  standing  invitation,  you  know." 

"  Yes,  I  know ;  but  I  have  business  with  father 
this  morning  and  ask  you  to  excuse  me,"  said 
Cleve,  glad  of  this  plausible  outlet,  and  Norton's 
eyes  lowered  as  he  met  the  young  man's  gaze. 

"  You  may,  also,  come  along,  Mr.  Newman," 
Norton  added. 

"  I  would  go  to  jail  first,"  he  answered,  taking 
the  advantage  of  the  first  chance  to  hit  back  at  him. 

"  Keep  up  your  course  and  you  will  be  there 
soon  enough,"  returned  Norton. 

Norton  left  arm  in  arm  with  the  Englishman  — 
Cleve  and  Newman  eyed  each  other  laughingly. 
"  That  man  is  the  limit,"  spoke  Newman.  "  A  mo- 
ment ago  he  wanted  to  murder  the  insulter  of  his 
intended  wife  —  now,  he  goes  to  dine  with  the 
beast.  'Don't  that  beat  the  Jews?" 

"  He  simply  makes  me  sick,"  replied  Cleve. 

"  I   should  think  jealous,"   returned  Newman. 

"Why?" 

"  He's  after  Marion  now.  Can't  you  see  through 
it?" 

"  Curse  him  —  " 

"  Yes,  you  may  curse  him !  But  now,  since 
there's  no  hope  for  the  Jackson  girl  he  is  after 
your  mortgaged  property.  And  —  I  don't  believe 
that  old  crafty  fox  of  a  father  would  object." 

"  He  may  not.    But  she  will  — 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  about  that,"  put  in  Newman. 
"  He's  a  good-looking  '  sort  of  chap/  and  these 
Nortons  are  apparently  warming  up  to  him." 


THE   FAILURE   OF    JACKSON    AND    COMPANY       163 

"  I'll  block  his  game,"  Cleve  assured. 

"  You  may,  and  you  may  not  —  society  people 
of  the  Clouds  are  as  fickle  as  corporation  lawyers 
—  they  always  believe  in  the  side  that  has  the  most 
money,"  he  answered. 

"  Well,  I  have  the  most  money,"  said  Cleve. 

"  Yes.     But  you  have  no  title,  my  boy." 

"  Look  here,  Mr.  Newman,  you  tried  to  make  me 
think  she  was  untrue  once  before,  but  I  got  the 
facts  in  the  case." 

"You  beat  me  that  time,"  he  replied;  "but 
what's  '  born  in  the  bone  will  out  in  the  flesh.'  She 
is  a  '  chip  off  the  old  block.' ' 

"Yes,  that's  the  truth;  but  you  are  prejudiced 
against  Norton." 

"My  God!  What  of  this  beastly  act?  Would 
not  that  alone  make  a  decent  man  hate  him  ? " 
Newman  expostulated. 

"  Well  —  yes,"   Cleve  answered. 

"  He  has  as  many  loop-holes  as  a  cat  has  lives. 
You  know  how  easily  he  got  over  the  Jackson 
affair,  and  I'll  bet  he's  the  cause  of  him  being  in 
jail,  if  what  he  told  us  is  the  truth.  Jackson  was 
as  '  honest  as  the  days  are  long.'  If  you  are  going 
to  marry  his  daughter  you  had  better  get  busy  — 
Greyhouse  and  this  Englishman  are  both  after  her 
and  she  is  going  to  wed  somebody  in  trousers  be- 
fore long." 

"Why  do  you  think  so?" 

"  I  can  see  it  in  her  eyes  —  she  is  not  stable  — 
she  will  tire  of  her  first  husband  and  before  he 
wakes  up  to  the  realization  she  will  be  flirting  with 
some  other  man." 

"  I  don't  like  to  hear  you  say  it  —  but  if  you 


164      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

keep  on  —  I  will  soon  believe  what  you  say  is  the 
truth." 

"  I  am  speaking  for  your  own  good,"  he  an- 
swered, 

"  Look  at  the  situation  —  the  country  —  the 
social  unrest!  Do  you  think  I  should  marry  and 
the  mobs  in  the  streets  crying  for  bread  ?  " 

"  You  have  asked  a  question  I  can't  answer ; 
but,  if  you  wish  to  marry  her,  may  success  crown 
your  every  move." 


CHAPTER    XIX 

CLEVE   VISITS    HIS   FATHER 

i 

COLONEL  CLEVENDOR  was  to  finance  in  America 
what  Napoleon  was  at  one  time  to  the  political  af- 
fairs of  France,  except,  Napoleon  was  absolute 
dictator  of  France  and  half  of  Europe;  while  the 
nations  of  the  world  must  pay  tribute  to  Clevendor 
the  I.  He  is  felt  in  every  zone,  in  every  clime 
where  people  eat  and  breathe.  In  every  nook  and 
corner  of  the  globe  we  find  articles  necessary  to 
life  coming,  directly  or  indirectly,  from  sources 
controlled  by  him. 

While  the  power  of  men  may  be  felt  from  hemi- 
sphere to  hemisphere,  yet  are  they  happy?  Let  us 
analyze  this  one:  The  old  veteran  was  past  sev- 
enty, aged  perhaps,  prematurely  by  his  mode  of 
living  —  chronic  indigestion  —  subject  to  moods 
and  depressions  —  susceptible  to  being  cold  and 
melancholy — \  hated  more  and  loved  less  than  any 
King,  Emperor  or  Monarch  —  a  mountain  of  gold 
at  his  command,  and  yet  can't  buy  or  gain  one  pure 
drop  of  human  love. 

In  his  face  you  see  the  genius  —  the  general  — 
the  organizer  —  the  veteran  of  many  hard  fought 
financial  battles.  In  his  person  you  see  the  victor 
—  the  results,  and  from  a  pair  of  brown  eyes  that 
search  you  suspiciously,  from  beneath  a  massive 
brow,  you  see  and  feel  the  man. 


166       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

He  began  life  a  fighter  —  being  the  son  of  poor 
parents  it  was  necessary  to  fight  desperately  and 
madly  until  fortune  favored  him.  Other  men 
struggled  harder  and  more  often  to  succeed  but 
failed  — '-  he  was  the  survival  of  the  fittest  —  one  by 
one  the  great  factories  fell  into  his  hands.  Oppo- 
sition was  crushed  to  the  wall  —  money  began  to 
accumulate  —  he  was  greedy  —  to  make  more  and 
more  became  his  second  nature  —  people  called 
him  "  insane,"  "  money-mad/'  but  he  heard  them 
not. 

In  middle  life  he  married  a  woman  by  the  name 
of  Belle  Bludwine,  who  died  soon  after  the  birth  of 
his  only  son,  Cleve.  She  was  one  of  the  leaders 
of  her  set  during  her  single  life  but  after  mar- 
riage her  course  was  completely  revoked  and  she 
was  retired  and  strictly  confined  to  the  Clevendor 
mansion.  It  was  hinted  that  this  beautiful  and 
accomplished  lady  died  of  a  broken  heart.  Affec- 
tion was  an  unknown  quantity  in  Clevendor's  me- 
tallic soul  and  it  was  not  capable  of  diffusing  that 
which  it  did  not  know. 

After  his  marriage  he  was  seldom  seen  at  any 
of  the  clubs  nor  did  he  frequent  the  regular  haunts 
—  he  ceased  to  continue  the  life  of  his  younger 
days  and  the  life  to  which  his  wife  was  adapted. 
He  lived  the  jealous  life  of  a  miser  and  guarded 
his  wife  from  the  eyes  of  men  as  painstakingly  as 
he  would  the  hiding  place  of  his  gold.  His  chief 
aspiration  lay  in  the  accumulation  of  wealth  and 
not  once,  night  or  day,  did  his  mind  rest  when  it 
beheld  a  chance  to  enrich  himself.  He  was  as 
wakeful  and  watchful  as  a  yard-dog  at  the  mid- 
night hour. 


CLEVE   VISITS    HIS    FATHER  167 

Cleve  grew  to  manhood  without  the  love  of  a 
father.  The  short  time  he  spent  at  the  home  it 
seemed  like  a  prison  —  his  father  was  as  cold  as 
the  marble  that  marked  the  dreary  interior  of  the 
large  spacious  rooms. 

While  the  people  were  starving,  and  the  cry  for 
help  was  raised  as  often  as  the  clock  ticked,  Cleve's 
father  heeded  them  not.  All  reforms  tending  to 
improve  the  dreadful  conditions  were  checkmated 
by  him  —  reformation  was  an  impossibility.  The 
Legislatures,  the  Judiciary  and  Pulpit  were  domi- 
nated by  his  influence.  Demagogues  and  syco- 
phants proclaimed  his  virtues  and  heralded  his 
greatness,  while  honest  Statesmen  held  their 
tongues  in  silence  and  in  obedience  to  his  authority. 

Cleve  was  aware  as  he  was  about  to  enter  his 
father's  little  room  that  the  affairs  of  the  nation 
were  narrowing  to  a  dramatic  crisis  —  he  knew  the 
Clevendor  interests  would  soon  be  facing  a  violent 
and  dangerous  tempest.  The  President  of  the  na- 
tion was  weak  and  all  the  law-making  bodies,  great 
and  small,  would  be  frightened  as  the  mobs,  hun- 
gry and  crying  for  bread,  demanded  new  liberties. 
He  knew  that  strikes,  lockouts,  the  destruction  of 
life  and  property  would  soon  be  the  order  of  the 
day.  Business  failures,  murders,  robberies  and 
suicides  would  greet  you  on  every  hand  and  no  law 
would  intercede.  Officials  would  act  in  name  only 
and  no  law  would  be  known  save  the  mob  rule  of 
the  streets.  Men  would  be  without  honor  and 
women  without  virtue  —  Pitdwellers  would  murder 
the  Clouddwellers  —  thev  would  rob  their  bodies 
and  escape.  He  felt  Newman's  pessimism  —  fit 
was  coming  —  coming  sure  as  fate.  All  would  be 


168       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

hopeless  and  a  state  of  anarchy  would  reign  su- 
preme ! 

An  offensive  smell  of  the  close  room  occupied 
by  his  father  greeted  his  nostrils  —  he  stood  near 
the  slightly  opened  door  and  could  see  the  furni- 
ture looked  old  and  neglected.  Everything  had 
the  appearance  of  great  reverses  —  he  felt  like  a 
stranger  or  an  uninvited  guest.  He  could  see  his 
father  as  he  sat  at  the  little  shabby  desk,  pale,  wan 
and  an  unsteady  nervous  look  in  his  eyes.  He 
looked  as  if  living  in  constant  fear  of  something 

—  deep  mutterings  came  from  his  lips  as  if  going 
over  something  in  his  past  life.     The  young  man 
brushed  a  tear  from  his  cheek  —  he  was  sorry  for 
and  pitied  his  old  father  even  if  he  were  cold  and 
eccentric. 

Suddenly  a  smile  crossed  the  old  man's  features 

—  it  was  the  smile  of  the  conqueror,  cold  and  vin- 
dictive.    He  looked  as  if  he  was  thinking  when  he 
had  sent  an  opposing  concern  crushing  to  the  earth 
and  had  turned  defeat  into  victory.     Cleve  pushed 
the  door  ajar  and  entered.     For  a  moment  they 
looked  at  each  other  with  no  visible  signs  of  love 

—  the  father  appeared  to  regret  the  son  had  en- 
tered, the  son  Deemed  to  fear  the  ordeal. 

"  Well,"  the  old  man  snapped,  "  more  money  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  the  young  man  answered,  stoutly. 

"  It's  a  terrible  way  you  spend  it,"  the  father 
growled.  "  Newman  has  told  me  of  an  English 
Lord  who  is  over  here  to  get  me  to  finance  an 
Aviation  proposition." 

"  What  else  have  I  to  do  but  spend  ? "  Cleve 
asked. 


CLEVE   VISITS    HIS   FATHER  169 

"  Go  to  work  and  make  it  like  I  did,"  the  Colonel 
returned. 

"  I  have  made  money  with  the  C.  F.  &  D." 

"If  you  did,  you  gave  it  all  away,"  answered 
the  old  man. 

"  Didn't  try  to  make  money  with  it." 

"  You  didn't." 

"  No,  it  was  Newman's  wish,  and  according  to 
your  orders." 

"  What  ?  I  want  you  to  understand  that  New- 
man is  not  running  the  Clevendor  interests." 

The  younger  man  looked  earnestly  at  the  older: 
"  You  sent  Mr.  Newman  with  orders,  and  I 
thought  you  wanted  me  to  follow  his  instructions. 
Now,  you  ask  me  to  go  to  work ;  but,  where  ?  " 

"  Don't  ask  me.  I  am  not  a  labor  bureau. 
That's  the  cry  I  hear  all  the  time  —  every  minute 
in  the  day.  Out  in  the  streets,  everywhere,  it 
haunts  me  until  I  am  almost  mad.  Mad,  do  you 
hear  ?  They  say  I  am  to  blame  —  they  lie  —  I 
know  not  why  there  are  so  many  poor.  This  prob- 
lem has  disturbed  me  every  hour  of  the  day  and 
every  day  in  the  year  —  I  have  had  enough  —  I  will 
not  stand  for  any  more.  When  I  give  to  charity 
they  say  I  do  so  to  ease  my  conscience;  if  I  re- 
fuse they  say  I  am  a  miser  and  they  don't  want 
my  money  because  it's  tainted.  It's  a  shame! 
What  would  these  millions  of  working  people  do 
if  it  were  not  for  me?  What  would  the  Pit  do? 
Why,  I  feed  and  clothe  the  nation  and  if  it  were 
not  for  me  it  would  starve !  Everybody  should 
know  that ! "  When  he  finished  he  was  greatly 
excited. 


170       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Yes,  but  father  you  are  not  right  to-day.  I  am 
sorry  I  disturbed  you." 

"Not  right!  —  not  right!  You,  my  son,  don't 
think  I  am  wrong?"  he  cried. 

"  No,  not  exactly ;  but,  you  have  listened  too 
much  to  the  wild,  deluded  censuring  of  the  Pit." 

"  It's  my  life's  blood  this  monster  wants  —  it 
will  not  stop  until  it  gets  it  —  we  are  not  safe  — 
there's  hardly  a  place  we  can  go  —  there's  no  one 
to  trust ;  but,  it  will  find  me  a  fighter,  still !  "  he 
cried,  as  his  lean  fist  came  down  on  the  desk  with 
a  thud. 

An  anxious  look  crossed  the  younger  man's  face 
as  he  said :  "  Father,  I  came  to  speak  about  aerial 
contests,  but  I  see  you  have  no  plans  to  offer.  I 
came  to  speak  about  it  and  if  the  Flyers  are  to  be 
rep-" 

'  Nothing,"  he  interrupted.  "  I  gave  you  the 
C.  F.  &  D.,  and  if  it  has  not  been  a  paying  invest- 
ment it  is  not  my  fault." 

"  It  has.  But  all  its  earnings  have  been  placed 
back  into  the  business.  The  valuation  of  the  stock 
has  been  increased;  but  at  present  I  am  a  little 
handicapped  for  ready  cash.  This  Meet  without 
a  resort  to  entertain  judges,  visitors  and  friends 
may  reflect  considerably  on  our  respect.  If  we 
win  it  will  pave  the  way  for  us  to  dispose  of  many 
warships.  Every  nation  will  have  an  army  expert 
at  the  contest" 

His  father's  eyes  took  on  a  far-away  look  —  his 
mind  ceased  to  think  —  enthusiasm  died  in  his 
face  —  his  nerves  relaxed,  nothing  short  of  strong 
stimulants  would  revive  his  interest.  Cleve  became 


CLEVE   VISITS   HIS   FATHER  171 

disgusted  with  his  effort:  "Father,  you  are  not 
right." 

(<  You,  too,  believe  I  am  mad,"  he  muttered. 

He  closed  the  door  leaving  his  father  in  the  same 
old  unsympathetic  mood.  In  the  hall  he  met  New- 
man and  his  spirits  arose  as  Newman  agreed  to 
influence  the  old  man  to  the  proposed  proposition. 


CHAPTER    XX 

THE    INTERNATIONAL    MEET 

THE  Winter  merged  into  Spring,  and  the  first  of 
June,  the  day  of  the  great  Aviation  Meet,  had  ar- 
rived. Newman  had  made  good  his  word,  and  to 
use  his  own  expression,  "  had  fixed  the  old  man 
up  in  apple  pie  order ! " 

Lord  Summersouth  had  made  occasional  visits 
to  the  States  during  the  Winter  and  had  always 
been  the  guest  of  the  Nortons'.  Cleve  had  been 
as  congenial  as  ever  with  Marion,  but  their  mar- 
riage had  been  less  spoken  of  or  talked  about. 
Preparation  for  the  big  event  was  the  topic  of  the 
day.  Mr.  Newman  had  gone  back  to  manage  the 
C.  F.  &  D.  and  couldn't  attend  the  Meet ;  in  fact, 
"  he  cared  nothing  for  it,"  he  said. 

Cleve  thought  often  of  Humanity.  He  had  not 
seen  her  since  the  night  of  the  organ  recital.  Nell's 
disappearance  was  still  a  mystery;  but  the  Eng- 
lishman was  ever  looking  for  her,  or  used  that  as 
an  excuse  for  coming  over  so  often.  Whether  he 
still  loved  her  he  did  not  know. 

The  day  came  fresh  and  invigorating  —  with  the 
weather  that  makes  every  one  feel  good  and  agree- 
able. It  is  contended  by  some,  of  authority  or  not, 
that  the  weather  governs  our  feelings.  When  the 
sun  shines  and  the  day  is  bright  and  cheery  we 


THE    INTERNATIONAL    MEET  173 

naturally  feel  better  than  we  do  on  a  cold,  bleak, 
dreary  afternoon.  A  bright  day  brings  smiles,  a 
dark  one  makes  us  sad  and  miserable.  If  this  be 
true,  and  is  stated  without  affirming  or  denying" 
the  hypothesis,  Grand  Central  was  the  happiest 
spot  in  the  world  on  the  day  of  the  world-famed 
tournament. 

It  was  a  gala  day;  a  day  of  blood,  nerve  and 
handiwork  of  man  in  combat.  An  air  contest,  to 
be  fought  in  friendliness,  but  to  be  waged  with  the 
fierceness  of  war. 

The  Germans  had  the  very  ship  that  had  sur- 
passed Cleve  in  the  last  event  and  was  still  a  dan- 
gerous looking  antagonist.  Lord  Summersouth's 
craft  was  neat  and  trim,  and  impressed  every  one 
with  its  velocity.  The  French  had  an  unusual  one 
built  on  an  old  pattern  that  balanced  well  and 
winged  the  air  like  a  huge  bird.  Italy,  Russia, 
Spain  and  Japan,  and  other  nations  of  minor  im- 
portance were  out  mainly  to  be  represented  rather 
than  entering  seriously  the  contest  to  win. 

It  was  a  momentous  occasion  when  the  Shooting 
Eagle  (Cleve's  craft),  winged  its  way  into  view. 
The  sun's  glistening  rays  fell  upon  its  wonderful 
mechanism,  turning  the  tide  of  thought  and  caus- 
ing the  teeming  millions  to  yell  in  one  grand 
chorus :  "  Three  cheers  for  the  '  red,  white  and 
blue.' ' 

The  bands  which  had  been  playing  the  national 
airs  of  different  nations  now  struck,  "  Yankee 
Doodle/'  "Hail  to  the  Chief"  and  "The  Star 
Spangled  Banner."  The  "  Bookies "  went  from 
even  money  to  odds  of  two  to  one  on  the  United 
States.  The  resorts  increased  the  dispensing  of 


174       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

stimulants,  and  enthusiasts  drank  deeper  and 
longer  to  the  success  of  their  respective  ships. 
Some  lost  their  better  judgment  and  proclaimed, 
without  hope,  the  virtues  of  crafts  that  were  sure 
to  be  "  also  rans  "  in  the  final  finish ;  but  never- 
theless, they  stood  their  ground  like  heroes  and 
died  like  gladiators  in  the  betting  arena. 

Grand  Central  was  a  Clouddweller  landing,  but 
to-day  its  exclusion  was  open  to  all  classes  of  hu- 
manity. The  conglomerated  mass  jostled  together 
friendly  and  good-naturedly.  Women  of  the  blond 
type  smiled  coquettishly  at  the  dark  foreigner. 
Flirtation  after  flirtation  followed  by  a  walk  to- 
gether on  the  marble  promenade.  It  was  like  unto 
the  beach  where  no  formal  introduction  is  neces- 
sary. 

Money  was  bet  equally  among  women  as  among 
men,  and  flowed  almost  as  free  as  the  stimulants 
dispensed  at  the  resorts. 

In  the  bleachers  were  the  Pitdwellers,  there  they 
were  more  at  home,  as  they  were  only  considered 
dregs  by  the  foam  at  the  top  of  the  social  glass. 
This  great  class,  composed  of  people  with  more 
or  less  artistic  feelings,  culture  and  refinement, 
were  likewise  jammed  and  elbowed  by  dull 
phlegmatic  creatures  of  the  same  world. 

At  last  the  opportune  hour  came  —  all  was  in  a 
state  of  expectancy  —  the  pulse  of  the  people 
moved  faster  —  the  huge  magiphone  called  the 
different  position  of  the  ships  and  lined  them  for 
action.  The  contestors  were  to  go  to  Aerial  Roost, 
twenty  miles  away  and  return.  All  was  in  readi- 
ness —  the  bands  ceased  to  play  —  the  noise  abated 
—  the  excitement  lulled  —  the  tremendous  gong 


THE    INTERNATIONAL    MEET  175 

sounded  —  the  ships  started  —  the  bands  resumed 
playing  and  a  deafening  roar  went  up  from  many 
throats. 

The  gorgeous  colors,  streaming  banners  and  the 
wave  of  many  pennant  trophies  made  Grand  Cen- 
tral look  like  a  meadow  of  wild  flowers  bending 
to  the  balmy  touch  of  gentle  Summer  zephyrs. 
The  bands  played  "  The  Watch  O'er  the  Rhine,"  as 
the  German  took  the  lead.  The  French  were  sec- 
ond, the  Shooting  Eagle  third,  Lord  Summersouth 
fourth,  and  the  smaller  nations  vied  for  fifth,  sixth 
and  seventh  places.  The  Germans  were  vociferous, 
their  representative  had  started  well.  The  French- 
men cheered  lustily  as  the  bands  played  "  The  Mar- 
seillaise." They  seemed  to  be  surprised  that  their 
ship  made  the  showing  it  did  and  was  satisfied  with 
what  was  to  them  a  victory  over  their  expectations. 
The  race  shifted  —  the  Shooting  Eagle  took  second 
place  —  the  bands  played  "  The  Stars  and  Stripes 
Forever "  —  the  Americans  yelled  themselves 
hoarse. 

The  reflector  (a  powerful  magnifying  glass)  re- 
vealed the  order  of  landing  at  Aerial  Roost 
The  glass  was  very  strong  and  showed  the  eager 
excited  faces  of  the  contestants  as  if  they  were  only 
a  few  yards  away.  The  German,  Shooting  Eagle, 
French  and  English  landed  in  the  order  named. 
The  rest  were  out  of  the  running  —  some  had  quit 
entirely  while  others  flew  playfully  around  and 
were  enjoying  the  race  as  spectators.  Now  for  the 
home  stretch  —  the  race  resolved  into  a  single- 
handed  combat  —  the  German  still  leading  and  the 
Eagle  gaining.  Betting  in  favor  of  the  Eagle  now 
dropped  back  to  even  money.  At  the  five  mile  post 


176       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

coming  back  the  German  was  still  in  the  lead. 
"  Ten  miles,  the  German  leading  by  a  length/' 
cried  the  magniphone. 

"  Fifteen  miles,  the  German  leads,"  came  the 
voice.  Betting  now  went  two  for  one  on  the  Ger- 
man. No  American  money  in  sight.  Then  an  ex- 
cited woman,  with  flushed  cheeks,  stepped  into  the 
betting  circle,  and  began  to  take  all  the  "  Bookies' J: 
odds. 

"  Eighteen  miles,  the  German  leads,"  came  the 
voice. 

"  Don't  do  it !  You  can't  win ! "  pleaded  a  tall 
man  who  was  following  her. 

She  turned  on  him  like  a  flash :  "  I'll  wager  my 
life  in  this  race,"  she  replied. 

Greyhouse  bit  his  lip  and  said  no  more. 

And  with  many  Bookies'  paste-boards,  repre- 
senting large  sums  of  money,  in  her  hands,  she 
rushed  to  the  pier,  cheering.  Greyhouse  followed 
mechanically,  deep  down  in  his  heart,  wishing  the 
German  would  win.  It  was  a  mad  fight  —  the 
Eagle  gaining  and  widening  her  golden  wings 
soared  high  into  the  sky.  Only  two  miles  re- 
mained. Then  shooting  down  an  incline  plane  with 
the  speed  of  a  rocket  she  passed  the  German  with 
ease.  She  dashed  gracefully  by  the  goal  and  made 
what  seemed  a  deadly  contested  finish  a  comical 
"  walk-over." 

A  tremendous  roar  went  up  from  the  throats  of 
many  thousands  —  the  championship  of  the  air  had 
been  fought  and  won  by  an  American  —  the  Inter- 
national Aviators'  Cup  was  now  the  property  of 
the  American  Flyers'. 

The   Germans   were   disgruntled  —  what  seemed 


THE    INTERNATIONAL    MEET  177 

to  be  a  "  cinch  "  was  turned  into  an  overwhelming 
defeat.  The  trophy  had  been  manfully  wrested 
from  their  grasp. 

As  Cleve  landed  an  excited  crowd  rushed  to  con- 
gratulate him  —  so  far  he  had  not  been  crowned 
with  the  laurels  of  victory.  He  was  nervous  and 
wished  to  avoid  anything  like  an  ovation.  A  bat- 
talion of  soldiers  had  been  wisely  and  timely  pro- 
vided, and,  perhaps,  prevented  a  nervous  collapse. 

Marion  and  her  mother,  Miss  Delainey  and  the 
Windsthurs  sisters  had  been  chosen  as  a  committee 
to  present  the  Cup.  They  were  gathered  to  make 
the  presentation  when  the  woman  gambler  broke 
through  the  patrol.  She  pressed  on  while  the  Nor- 
ton crowd  held  their  breath  in  wonderment. 
Marion  had  long  dreamed  of  this  opportunity  to 
welcome  her  hero  publicly.  She  wanted  to  pro- 
claim him  her  King  to  the  world.  This  was  to  be 
the  happiest  moment  of  her  life.  No  wonder  her 
face  flushed  —  no  wonder  her  eyes  were  aflame  and 
a  look  of  outraged  feelings  covered  her  features 
as  this  adventuress  interrupted  the  proceedings. 
The  shock  was  too  great  and  she  was  borne  away 
from  the  embarrassing  position. 

"  I  hail  the  greatest  man  in  all  the  world,"  cried 
this  woman,  who  was  none  other  than  Humanity, 
as  she  grasped  Cleve's  hand. 

The  blood  surged  to  his  face  as  he  said :  "  I 
hardly  know  how  to  answer  you." 

With  a  small  frown  of  disapproval,  she  said, 
lauehingly,  "  I  am  surprised  that  a  man  of  your 
ability  cannot  answer  the  simple  question  of  a  mere 


178       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Humanity,  who  are  you  ?  I  have  not  seen  you 
for  so  long"  a  time/'  he  said. 

"  Like  a  genius,  you  answer  a  question  by  ask- 
ing one,"  she  replied. 

"  You  have  not  answered  me,"  he  said  mildly. 

"  Neither  have  you  answered  me,"  she  parleyed. 
"  You  needn't ;  great  men  don't  talk  —  their  deeds 
speak  for  themselves,"  she  added. 

"  Are  you  sure  ?  "  he  questioned,  anxiously. 

"  Yes.     Quite  sure,"  she  replied. 

"  Then,  why  not  tell  your  real  name  ?  You 
seemed  to  be  anxious  to  greet  me." 

"  I  see  you  still  have  a  little  ego,"  was  her  reply. 

"  No.  I  was  just  stating  a  reality,"  he  con- 
tended. 

"  Then,  you  were  conscious  of  me  running  to 
greet  you,  and  —  " 

"  And  taking  me  by  the  hand,"  supplied  he,  and 
continued :  "  You  are  so  different  —  yes,  so  dif- 
ferent from  other  women,  I  really  would  like  to 
know  your  name  ?  " 

"Honest?" 

"  Honest,"  he  said,  gathering  a  little  hope. 

"  And  you  want  to  know  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

With  a  smile,  she  said :  "  I  am  still  Just  Human- 
ity, with  the  '  Just '  prefixed.  I  was  eager  to  con- 
gratulate you  because  you  were  my  means  to  an 
end,  sir.  I  was  elated  over  mv  success.  Don't 
flatter  yourself,  my  dear  inflated  Clouddweller ! " 
With  this  she  ran  quickly  through  the  patrol  and 
his  eyes  followed  her  and  his  face  assumed  an 
amused  and  bewildered  expression. 

During    the    delay    an    old    man,    whom    Cleve 


THE    INTERNATIONAL    MEET  179 

thought  resembled  Herr  Binger,  seized  the  oppor- 
tunity to  make  a  speech.  The  crowd  thought  he 
was  to  deliver  an  eulogy,  but  in  this  they  were  mis- 
taken. He  began  a  harangue  that  chilled  their 
enthusiasm.  "  You  spend  millions  to  entertain," 
he  cried,  "  while  the  people  starve/' 

"  To  hell  with  the  people,"  shouted  Norton,  his 
face  red  and  angry.  He  elbowed  his  way  through 
the  press  and  ordered  the  programme  to  be  con- 
tinued. 

"  You  say  to  hell  with  the  people  ?  "  queried  the 
speaker  ruefully. 

"  You  are  out  of  your  place.  You  are  seeking 
advertisement.  You  can't  make  a  demonstration 
here.  You  had  better  move  on,"  replied  Norton. 

"  But  the  people  are  starving,"  pleaded  the  old 
man. 

"  Whom  do  you  term  the  people  ?  "  asked  Nor- 
ton, contemptuously. 

"  Those  down  there,"  he  answered,  pointing  a 
lean  forefinger  toward  the  bleachers  and  the  depths 
below. 

"Who?  The  Pit!  Those  animals?  They  are 
wolves,  hyenas  —  "  he  paused.  "  You  fool !  "  he 
sneered.  "  We  are  the  people.  Enough  of  this 
damn  foolishness  !  Take  the  looney  away !  " 

The  old  man  was  led  away,  through  much  ex- 
citement, by  two  policemen,  and  Norton  began  ad- 
dressing Cleve :  "  Our  arrangement  has  been  de- 
layed. Marion  has  suffered  greatly  and  is  still  in 
suspense." 

Cleve  began  to  apologize. 

"Nonsense,  Cleve,"  he  returned.  "The  fault 
was  none  of  yours.  Marion  thinks  some  woman 


180       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

was  the  cause,  but  I  saw  nothing  but  an  old  crank 
advertising  his  pet  theories.  I'll  inform  the  poor 
child." 

The  excitement  lulled  and  the  decision  of  the 
judges  was  forthcoming.  As  the  complimentary 
speech  was  being  delivered  Marion  handed  Cleve 
the  Cup.  There  was  something  in  her  face  that  he 
didn't  like  —  he  did  not  see  the  smile  —  there  was 
no  light  in  her  eyes.  He  felt  as  though  he  had 
done  her  some  wrong;  but,  perhaps  it  was  the 
vision  she  was  remembering!  It  had  been  fulfilled. 
Humanity  had  broken  through  the  patrol  —  she 
had  talked  to  him  —  the  people  were  clammering 
and  everything  had  come  true!  No  wonder  she 
was  depressed  —  no  wonder  she  looked  sick  of 
heart  —  no  wonder  her  voice  shook  as  she  extended 
the  Cup,  saying:  "I  give  you  this  —  but,  I  feel 
that  another  should  have  done  so." 

Without  giving  him  a  chance  to  reply  she  turned 
to  her  father,  saying :  "  I  am  ill.  I  must  get  away 
from  here  !  I  must  go  !  " 


CHAPTER   XXI 
CLEVE'S  VISIT  TO  THE  PIT 

IT  had  been  a  week  or  more  since  the  Meet  — 
Cleve  was  driving  for  exercise  and  for  reasons 
hardly  known  to  himself  he  steered  the  Shooting 
Eagle  out  of  the  sky  and  landed  in  the  Pit. 

He  had  broken  the  Clouddwellers'  rule  and  had 
established  a  precedent  —  he  had  done  what  no 
man  occupying  his  station  in  life  would  do. 

Whether  moved  by  intuition,  curiosity  or  adven- 
ture he  only  answered  the  inclinations  that  came 
from  within  him  —  to  see  this  world  beneath,  so 
far  away,  of  which  he  had  but  the  remotest  con- 
ception—  had  been  the  desire  of  his  life. 

Immediately  he  was  surrounded  by  a  curious, 
ragged  throng,  who  volunteered  aid  in  case  he 
needed  their  assistance.  When  he  so  courteously 
declined  all  offers  they  looked  amazed  —  they  were 
a  little  nonplussed  to  see  one  so  civil  from  his  world 
of  "  stone  hearts." 

"  You  see,"  said  one  of  them,  who  appeared  very 
loquacious,  and  introducing  himself,  "  I  am  Sir 
Wilbro  Dockins." 

Cleve  smiled,  and  the  said  Sir  Wilbro  continued : 
"There  are  many  people  here  to-day.  They  are 
here  because  it  is  announced  that  the  Pit  will  be 
fed  at  the  mansion  across  the  street.  They  are 


182       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

preparing  tables  on  the  lawn  now.  It  is  a  very  un- 
usual thing  for  some  of  the  Pitdwellers  to  eat  with 
their  feet  under  a  table.  Some  of  them  have  been 
here  twenty-four  hours,  or  since  the  announcement 
was  made,  in  order  to  be  the  first.  Their  hunger 
has  not  been  satisfied  —  they  have  been  disap- 
pointed with  places  of  distribution  because  the  food 
was  far  short  of  the  needs  of  the  multitude." 

"  You  seem  to  be  of  good  intelligence  —  of  good 
address  —  why  are  you  here  ?  Why  are  you  not 
at  work  ?  "  asked  Cleve. 

"  You  don't  understand,"  he  answered  sadly. 
"  It's  the  same  old  story.  I  was  not  always  a  beg- 
gar." 

"Drink?"  Cleve  questioned. 

The  said  Sir  Wilbro  sneered :  "  I  know  you  can't 
understand.  It  is  not  drink.  I  never  touch  stimu- 
lants, and  this  kind  I  hope  I  never  shall.  I  will 
not  be  a  coward,"  he  continued,  drawing  his  little 
stature  to  its  full  height,  "  and  I'll  not  drown  my 
troubles  in  strong  drink.  Some  years  ago  the  Pro- 
hibitionists said  'the  liquor  traffic  was  causing  the 
poverty  of  the  country.  Destroy  this  evil  and  you 
will  make  the  people  prosperous  —  you  will  de- 
stroy want  and  make  misery  an  impossibility/ 
They  swept  the  nation  —  they  smashed  the  '  red- 
eyed  monster '  wherever  it  appeared.  It  was  a 
wave,  for  the  time,  fatal  to  the  business,  and  the 
cry  of  the  unfed  was  just  the  same,  but  of  course 
a  poor  devil  becomes  so  tired  of  this  '  hell-on-earth  ' 
that  drink,  dope  or  suicide  is  his  only  way  of  es- 
cape." 

"  You  are  very  interesting ;  but  you  have  not 
told  me  why  you  are  here,"  Cleve  responded. 


CLEVE'S  VISIT  TO  THE  PIT  183 

"  The  syndicated  stores,"  he  answered.  "  They 
have  made  it  impossible  for  the  private  store  to 
exist.  In  the  conquest  for  markets,  to  dispose  of 
their  surplus,  the  manufacture  has  systematically 
eliminated  beyond  a  possibility  the  existence  of  the 
small  merchant.  The  system  that  created  Cleven- 
dor  and  Norton  made  me  what  I  am,  and  also,  this 
hungry  mass  of  human  misery  here." 

"  Then  you  blame  this  condition  to  greedy,  selfish 
men  ?  "  Cleve  asked. 

"  No.  Not  exactly.  Human  nature  is  the  same 
in  all  stations  of  life.  In  the  distribution  of  food 
to-day  you  will  see  the  strong  crowd  out  the  weak 
—  they  will  fight  among  themselves  for  the  choice 
portions.  In  this  degraded  state  you  would  think 
there  was  some  fellow  feeling  —  some  brotherly 
love  —  but  they  will  forget  and  fight  like  so  many 
animals.  They  are  not  intellectual  enough  to  work 
in  a  movement  to  better  their  condition.  So  there 
you  are,"  he  replied. 

"  Mankind  is  naturally  inclined  toward  good," 
he  went  on,  "  or  else  man  would  have  never  de- 
veloped out  of  the  savage  state.  You  may  ask  me 
why  does  the  strong  not  divide  with  the  weak  to- 
day? It  looks  like  selfishness,  but  it  is  not.  The 
stronger  ones  know,  should  they  divide,  it  would 
only  be  a  question  of  time  when  they  would  be  in 
the  same  condition.  This  is  self  evident  —  the 
same  law  the  world  over.  Clevendor  knows  if  he 
were  to  become  a  philanthropist  and  give  his  vast 
holdings  to  the  poor,  it  would  be  a  question  of  time 
till  he  would  be  down  in  this  abyss  fighting  for 
preservation  like  the  rest  of  us. 

"  The  person  who  is  to  feed  the  mob,"  he  con- 


184       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

tinued,  "  may  be  foolish  or  a  sentimental  dreamer, 
and  does  not  understand  the  solution  of  this  per- 
plexing" problem.  One  meal  only  makes  the  pangs 
of  hunger  all  the  greater  on  the  morrow;  and, 
perhaps,  prolongs  the  life  of  some  who  would 
have  gone  to  that  place,  where  they  say  there  is 
no  starvation." 

At  this  juncture,  large  motor  vans  put  in  appear- 
ance and  dumped  their  contents  on  the  tables.  A 
mad  scramble  followed,  and  Cleve  saw  his  new 
friend  vanish  in  the  writhing  mass.  These  loads 
were  consumed  as  rapidly  as  others  that  followed, 
and  he  watched,  glued  to  the  spot.  He  saw  in  the 
faces  of  this  mad  mob,  the  tragedies  of  life.  No- 
where before  had  he  seen  such  a  sight  —  no  time 
before  had  he  felt  as  he  did.  A  lump  came  up  in 
his  throat  —  a  mist  in  his  eyes,  and  he  tried  to  be- 
lieve it  was  all  a  horrible  nightmare. 

They  came  and  went,  those  dull,  hollow-eyed 
looking  nomads.  They  gorged  themselves  so 
greedily  that  they  went  away  in  stupors,  grunting 
like  so  many  animals,  their  nervous  energy  al- 
most exhausted  from  paralytic  shocks,  caused  by 
forcing  food  so  hastily  into  their  stomachs,  which 
were  in  no  way  prepared  to  receive  it.  The  crowds 
grew  —  the  chain  seemed  to  be  endless,  and  as 
dusk  deepened  into  night,  around  the  lights,  came 
new  human  moths  to  eat  and  flicker. 

The  Daily  Labor,  in  the  distance,  began  its  eve- 
ning editorial.  Its  words  came  as  though  a  mon- 
ster demon  was  speaking  to  them  from  the  bowels 
of  the  earth : 

"  Few  have  done  more  for  humanity  —  millions 
have  done  less.  Some  have  lived  in  poetry  and 


CLEVE'S  VISIT  TO  THE  PIT  185 

song-  and  some  have  been  f orgotten.  A  new  friend 
to  the  poor  has  come.  '  A  friend  in  need  makes  a 
friend  indeed/  Many  good  and  generous  souls 
have  fed  the  poor  before,  but  not  to  this  extent. 
We  can  commend  this  deed  and  we  rejoice  that  a 
new,  wealthy  heart  has  been  touched.  We  curse 
a  system  of  Government  that  makes  the  almsgiver. 
We  despise  a  system  of  Government  that  creates 
the  almstaker.  When  this  generous  soul  has  passed 
away  and  praises  are  still  being  sung  by  the  living, 
the  ever  —  the  often  —  the  endless  —  the  eternal 
poor  still  live  to  suffer,  and  the  system  still  lives 
to  murder.  Unless  —  "  Here  the  voice  died  away 
in  a  mournful  echo,  leaving  its  piteous  appeal  in 
this  sorrowful  little  street,  called  Murder's  Row. 

Cleve  put  his  machine  into  action  and  shot  into 
the  sky.  As  he  rounded  the  top  of  the  marble 
mansion,  he  heard  the  rumbling  sounds  of  Army 
Autos.  He  looked,  and  through  the  twilight  he 
discerned  the  form  of  a  woman  standing  on  the 
balcony  in  the  attitude  of  making  a  speech.  He 
was  sure  it  must  be  Humanity. 

Long,  red  streaks  marked  the  sky  where  the  sun 
had  appeared  —  the  stars  peeped  out  —  the  moon 
was  round  and  full  and  rose  higher  and  higher 
in  the  Heavens.  Another  day  had  gone  and 
it  had  been  an  eventful  one  for  him.  He  was 
unusually  grave  and  he  looked  back  into  the  little 
street  and  beheld  the  Autos  charging  the  Pit- 
dwellers.  On  and  on  he  flew,  over  Grand  Central 
in  his  course  to  Hotel  Marion.  His  eyes  lingered 
for  a  moment  on  this  colossal  structure  beneath 
him.  Its  marble  steps  illuminated  with  lights  of 
many  shades  extended  from  the  ground  below  to 


186       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

the  garden  above  and  seemed  to  unite  earth  and 
sky.  The  building  pyramided  so  high  that  the 
tower  of  Babel  which  the  ancients  regarded  with 
awe  and  wonder  would  have  been  quite  small  in 
comparison.  He  thought,  in  an  absent  way,  of  the 
honor  he  had  received  on  its  pier  a  few  days  ago 
and  of  Marion's  queer  actions. 

He  wended  onward,  meeting  aerial  crafts  loaded 
with  people,  who  were  all  merriment.  He  was 
barely  conscious  of  meeting  them  as  he  went  on  his 
way,  brushing  low  roofs  and  steering  skilfully 
around  some  wall  of  stone  in  his  course.  As  he 
entered  the  ghostly  shadows  of  the  Daily  Labor 
his  blood  almost  ran  cold.  Guttural  wails  of 
despair  came  from  the  streets,  where  the  people 
were  demonstrative  and  the  police  trying  to  dis- 
perse any  mobilization.  Speakers  were  pulled, 
jerked  from  their  rostrums,  beaten,  clubbed  and 
jailed.  When  the  mass  became  unmanageable 
Autos  plowed,  crushed  and  ground  flesh  to  atoms. 

A  thousand  thoughts  surged  back  and  forth  in 
his  mind.  He  wanted  to  get  away  from  the  sights 
and  haunting  sounds.  He  quickened  his  speed  and 
soon  landed  on  the  hotel  pier.  Placing  his  Eagle 
in  the  care  of  keepers  he  entered  and  made  his  way 
to  the  Nortons'  apartment.  The  wild  strains  of  a 
rhapsody  greeted  his  ears  —  Marion  is  at  the  piano, 
he  thought.  The  door  of  the  drawing-room  stood 
ajar  —  he  hesitated  to  summon  courage.  At  last, 
nerved,  he  walked  boldly  in.  Hardly  on  the 
inside  the  thought  to  turn  back  seized  him.  He 
had  acted  like  a  fool  —  he  hadn't  seen  her  since  the 
Meet,  and,  too,  how  did  he  know  if  she  would  wel- 
come him  after  that  affair?  The  Englishman,  or 


CLEVE'S  VISIT  TO  THE  PIT  187 

Greyhouse,  might  be  with  her,  he  thought.  A  deep 
color  mounted  her  face  as  she  saw  him  approach- 
ing. 

"  Marion,  I  have  —  "  he  began. 

"  Don't,"  she  interposed,  resuming  her  music. 
"  Have  you  been  invited  ?  " 

His  face  flushed  at  her  words  :  "  No  —  but  —  I 
want  —  ed  to  see  you,"  he  stammered. 

"Can't  you  see  I  have  purposely  avoided  you?" 
she  asked. 

"  I  demand  a  reason,"  he  returned,  almost  sav- 
agely. 

"  Oh,  to  give  you  more  time  with  —  Well,  I 
don't  care  to  mention,"  she  snapped  back. 

"  You  are  unreasonable.    Your  insinuation  is  —  " 

"  I  made  no  insinuation,"  she  replied  curtly.  "  I 
state  facts.  I  saw  that  woman  —  that  virago  at 
Grand  Central  with  my  own  "eyes." 

"  I  thought  you  were  stronger  —  I  thought  you 
understood  that  no  woman  could  come  between  us. 
I  didn't  know  you  were  jealous,  Marion." 

"  It's  a  —  "  she  restrained  herself.  "  I  am  not. 
But  she's  not  a  lady.  She  resides  in  Murder's  Row. 
Do  ladies  go  there?  No!  No  lady  goes  there  I 
associate  with,"  she  said  vindictively. 

"  You  know  her  as  well  as  I  do.  You  know  her 
pedigree.  Who  informed  you  ?  "  he  sneered. 

"  Mr.  Greyhouse/'  she  answered. 

"And  you  let  him  come  back,"  he  spoke  grimly. 

"  To  get  even  —  " 

"Not  jealous?"  he  innuendoed. 

"  No.     I  am  not,"  came  her  retort. 

"  He  knows  her  better  than  I,"  he  answered 
cuttingly. 


188       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  He  just  knows  her  —  or  knows  of  her.  He  is 
not  acquainted,"  she  excused. 

"He  does,  eh?"  he  scoffed.  "  And  he  dines 
with  the  lady  in  this  very  hotel?  You  disgust  me." 

"  Thanks,"  she  came  back,  sarcastically. 

"  And  you  jealous  of  her,"  he  muttered.  "  I 
hardly  know  her.  I  caused  her  to  win  much  money 
in  the  race,  and  she  came  to  thank  me.  Grey- 
house  !  "  he  uttered  his  name  again,  with  a  hard 
grin  of  contempt. 

She  wilted. 

"  Forgive,"  she  sobbed.  "  I  see  through  it  now. 
But  she  was  so  eager  to  congratulate  you,  I 
couldn't  stand  it.  Greyhouse  has  been  acting  his 
part.  He  has  been  here  the  whole  of  the  after- 
noon and  wouldn't  give  way  to  Lord  Summer- 
south.  I  let  Greyhouse  stay  because  I  thought  you 
loved  that  woman.  You  will  not  see  her  again, 
will  you  ?  " 

"  Of  course  not,"  he  answered,  as  she  came 
down  from  her  position  to  be  his  sweetheart  again. 
''  You  still  have  the  ring?"  he  continued,  as  he 
pressed  her  hand  tenderly. 

u  Yes,  and  shall  keep  it  always." 

"  You  are  the  woman,"  he  said  affectionately. 

She  planted  a  tender  caress  on  his  cheek :  "  And 
nothing  shall  ever  come  between  us." 

"  Nothing  again,"  he  repeated. 

"  It  is  too  near  —  our  wedding  day,"  and  her 
soft  arms  went  around  his  neck. 

"  Wedding  day ! "  he  cried,  freeing  himself 
from  her  embarce.  He  felt  a  cold  shudder  pass  up 
and  down  his  spine.  Those  two  words  ran  riot 
in  his  mind.  He  looked  at  the  floor  —  he  gazed 


CLEVE'S  VISIT  TO  THE  PIT  189 

at  her  without  seeing.  He  thought  of  the  streets 
—  O  !  those  bloody  streets  —  where  chaos  reigned. 
O!  the  mockery  of  life!  How  soon  would  it  be 
until  the  slaves  would  break  their  chains !  He  had 
Newman's  pessimism.  He  tried  to  explain,  but 
could  only  utter  incoherent  sounds. 

She  tried  to  read  his  mind  —  her  face  turned 
pale.  Surely,  it  hadn't  come  to  this,  she  thought 
It  was  this  woman !  She  looked  at  him  from  the 
enraged  depths  of  her  eyes  and  said:  "  Go  on  with 
it.  You  are  playing  the  double  cross.  I  had  no 
idea  your  relations  with  this  woman  —  " 

Her  words  stung  him.  He  heard  no  more : 
"  You  think  I'm  a  coward !  "  he  defended.  "  I 
care  nothing  —  why  are  you  always  putting  her 
up  to  me  ?  " 

"  Then,  why  so  frightened  at  the  mention  of 
Wed—  " 

"  Don't  speak  of  it  to  me !  "  he  cried  madly. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  she  asked,  acrimoniously,  her  eyes 
gleaming.  "  I  don't  understand." 

"  Great  God  !  "  came  his  heated  words.  "  Have 
you  not  heard  the  cries  of  the  starving?  I  wouldn't 
even  if  I  loved  beyond  control  make  my  wife  a 
target  for  the  bloody  pike.  No ! !  Never  ! ! !  " 

With  a  look  of  disgust  she  said :  "  This  settles 
our  engagement.  First,  I  thought  it  was  that 
woman,  now  it's  the  Pit.  However,  I  would  sug- 
gest a  few  of  the  Pitdwellers  out  of  the  way  would 
ameliorate  conditions." 

He  fell  back  as  if  he  had  been  struck  a  heavy 
blow  —  he  was  dazed  and  bewildered  —  had  she 
hit  him  with  a  heavy  stone  she  would  not  have 
stunned  him  more.  The  words  she  uttered  so 


190       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

freely  he  could  hardly  believe,  or  bear  to  think, 
and  to  hear  them  come  from  the  women  he  in- 
tended marrying;  and  whom  he  thought  would 
have  some  respect  for  his  views  and  some  sym- 
pathy, was  beyond  his  comprehension.  He  decided 
he  did  not  understand  human  nature  —  here  was 
a  girl  whom  he  had  known  from  childhood  —  had 
loved  her  enough  to  ask  her  to  become  his  wife, 
and  now  he  must  admit  that  he  didn't  know  her. 

She  openly  advocated  murder,  and  she  was 
brutal !  Didn't  have  lofty  ideals  —  was  not  kind 
and  had  no  sympathy  and  compassion.  She  had 
no  nobleness  of  soul,  and  she  was  not  the  Marion 
his  mind  had  pictured  —  she  was  cruel,  cold  and 
vindictive. 

"  I  didn't  mean  it,"  she  cried,  seeing  the  effect 
of  her  words.  "  Please  speak  to  me !  Don't  think 
me  so  heartless,"  she  continued,  throwing  her  arms 
about  his  neck  again  and  burying  her  head  upon 
his  shoulder.  "  I  was  mad,"  she  said,  sobbing,  as 
if  her  heart  would  break.  "  Mad  to  think  of  what 
had  come  between  us.  You  know  a  woman  will  not 
stop  at  anything  when  the  affections  of  the  man 
she  loves  are  in  jeopardy.  You  tried  me  —  you 
fretted  me,  and  I  have  lived  a  life  of  torture  since 
the  affair  at  Grand  Central.  I  can't  forget  —  I 
may  be  jealous,  as  you  say,  but  I  can  see  that 
woman  —  she's  a  nightmare  to  me." 

She  became  more  calm  and  deliberately  taking 
the  ring  from  her  finger  she  passed  it  to  him.  He 
stretched  out  his  hand  mechanically :  "  I  can't, 
Marion,"  he  murmured. 

After  all,  perhaps  he  had  been  a  little  too  severe 
and  judged  her  wrongly.  The  scenes  in  the  streets 


CLEVE'S  VISIT  TO  THE  PIT  191 

had  been  trying  on  his  nerves.  However,  had  she 
seen  what  he  had  she  would  very  likely  not  have 
spoken  as  she  did.  Surely,  he  could  overlook  this 
weakness  —  if  weakness  it  be;  none  of  us,  he 
thought,  were  perfect.  She  was  not  superhuman. 
Her  environment  made  her  acquainted  with  more 
pleasant  sights. 

"  No,  Marion,  I  can't  take  it.  It  is  yours  for- 
ever," he  answered,  still  holding  her  hand. 

"Why?" 

"  I  gave  it." 

"  Only  conditional,"  she  suggested. 

"  But  you  consented,"  he  replied. 

"  You  would  never  marry,"  she  reminded. 

"  If  the  trend  of  affairs  continued,"  he  explained. 

"  No  woman,  then  ?  "  she  questioned. 

"  I  promised,"  he  answered  smiling. 

"  I  showed  my  temper  and  said  some  bad  things," 
she  reflected. 

"  Yes.    And  you  astonished  me." 

"Mr.  Greyhouse  — " 

"  What  of  him  ?  "  he  interrupted. 

"  Said  the  Pit  would  have  to  be  removed  before 
the  country  could  be  improved.  And  I  thought 
that  you  believed  that  way,"  she  explained. 

"  Emphatically,  I  do  not.  That's  the  commercial 
system's  view." 

"  He  said  our  fathers  were  of  the  same  opinion." 

"  That  may  be  true.  I  don't  claim  that  they  are 
infallible  —  all  are  subject  to  error.  How  can  a 
man  be  clean  when  everything  is  so  dirty  ?  " 

"  Why !    I  have  never  heard  you  talk  like  this." 

"No,  Marion,  I  have  just  awakened  —  I  feel  as 
though  it  were  my  duty  to  join  the  Pit  to-night. 


192       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

When  I  saw  those  poor  people  mistreated  by  the 
police.  It  was  hard  to  see  those  Autos  grind  the 
life  out  of  them.  It  was  terrible !  "  he  cried,  with 
some  vengeance. 

"  Don't  think  about  it  —  try  to  forget,  for  my 
sake,"  she  replied  sweetly. 

He  shook  his  head,  and  answered  her  slowly : 
"  I  can't  forget.  I  must  speak  —  it  must  out  —  it 
is  imprinted  so  forcibly  on  my  mind.  I  believe 
I'm  a  different  person.  It  has  created  a  feeling  I 
can't  throw  off." 

"  Horrors  !  Are  you  losing  your  mind  ?  "  she 
cried  piteously. 

He  looked  at  her  with  a  sad  smile  in  his  hand- 
some features  :  "  No,"  he  assured.  "  The  doctors 
say  when  you  lose  your  mind  it  is  preceded  by  de- 
pressions. Nothing  like  it  has  come  over  me." 

The  lights  shaded  by  red  chandeliers  cast  a  dull 
crimson  glow  on  the  sumptuous  furnishings.  They 
had  seated  themselves  on  a  divan  and  were  nest- 
ling close  to  each  other.  They  talked  on,  uncon- 
scious of  everything  save  themselves.  Suddenly, 
as  if  by  magic,  the  street  below  in  front  of  the 
hotel  was  thrown  into  great  confusion.  They  be- 
came very  much  alarmed  as  the  reflectorscope- 
phone  brought  the  sounds  and  scenes  to  them. 

"  What  can  it  mean  ?  "  she  asked,  grasping  him 
by  the  arm. 

"  I  fear  it's  the  beginning  of  the  bloodiest  revolt 
that  man  has  ever  encountered !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Are  we  safe  ?  "  she  asked,  as  the  machine  regis- 
tered the  cries,  howls  and  curses  of  the  maddened 
mob. 


CLEVE'S  VISIT  TO  THE  PIT  193 

"  I  am  unable  to  say,"  he  said,  very  much  con- 
cerned. 

"  See !  They  are  only  making  a  demonstration. 
They  don't  seem  to  be  making  any  attempt  at  vio- 
lence/' she  said  somewhat  relieved. 

The  mob  grew  in  numbers  —  instead  of  being 
boisterous  it  was  quieter  —  the  extreme  rage  of  a 
moment  ago  reverted  to  silence.  A  large  touring 
car  made  its  way  to  the  center  of  the  mass  —  thou- 
sands pressed  and  jammed  together  in  an  effort  to 
get  near  it.  A  woman  arose,  amid  loud  and  vocif- 
erous cheering.  Cleve's  face  flushed  and  Marion 
dared  not  look  at  him.  The  woman  was  Human- 
ity and  she  steadied  herself  as  the  applause  ceased, 
and  her  deep  rich  voice  began: 

"  I  am  no  stranger  to  you/'  she  said.  (Loud  ap- 
plause.) "  I  appreciate  your  respect.  What  I  have 
is  yours.  If  it  relieves  but  a  few  souls,  I  feel  I 
have  done  my  duty  (in  a  small  way)  to  the  suffer- 
ing millions,  and  to  that  cause  —  the  Brotherhood 
of  Man."  (A  long  demonstration.) 

"  I  fed  some  of  you  to-day,"  she  continued,  "  but 
it  was  not  with  my  money ;  it  was  the  Cloud's 
money.  I  won  at  Grand  Central."  (Laughter  and 
cheering.)  "I  gave  it  back  to  you  who  produced 
it."  (Prolonged  cheering  and  a  ripple  of 
laughter.)  "Did  I  not  do  the  proper  thing?" 
(Cries  of  "yes,  yes.") 

"  It  is  remarkable,  my  friends,"  she  went  on, 
"  what  the  time,  the  place  and  — "  she  smiled 
sweetly  over  the  audience  —  "  the  girl  will  do.  I, 
at  one  time,  was  a  society  favorite  (thanks  to  Herr 
Binger)."  (Loud  cheering  at  the  mention  of  his 
name.)  "  I  lived  in  that  inner-circle,  which  doubt- 


194       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

less  none  of  you  have  ever  seen,  or  ever  will  see. 
To  move  within  its  confines  you  must  own  States 
and  count  your  wage  slaves  by  the  tens  of  thou- 
sands. They  regard  you  from  up  there  as  so  many 
dumb  brutes.  For  one  of  that  company  to  put  its 
dainty  foot  outside  its  golden  border,  or  to  have 
friends  below  the  cloud-line,  means  ostracism.  I 
went  below  that  sky-margin.  I  ventured  to  see 
where  the  rain-drops  fell.  Imagine  my  surprise, 
when  I  found  you  with  two  walking-limbs  instead 
of  four,  and  hands  and  human  faces.  This  was 
astonishing.  The  Bible  had  taught  me  that  the 
mean  would  go  below.  I  lived  up  there  then,"  she 
said,  looking  upwards,  "  and  I  thought  here  was 
hades  —  if  some  of  you  object?"  (Cries  of  "Go 
on!  go  on!  You  can't  say  anything  worse  than 
what  has  been  said,"  came  the  greetings  to  her 
sally.) 

"  To  you  down  here  Heaven  is  up  there ;  to 
those  up  there  the  "  other  place "  is  here.  We 
have  both  places  on  earth  to-day."  (Much 
laughter.)  She  became  more  serious:  "It  is  my 
desire  to  be  here.  It  is  love  that  brought  me.  Love 
for  home  —  love  for  country,  and  love  for  all  man- 
kind. To  those  of  you  who  cannot  interpret  my 
meaning,  God  pity  you.  To  those  who  can,  my 
prayer  is  God  help  you." 

"  I  did  not  come  here  to  make  a  speech,"  she 
went  on,  "  I  came  here  to  ask  you  to  do  acts  of 
violence.  It  is  your  enemies  who  wish  you  to  do 
this.  Give  them  no  excuse  to  murder  you.  To 
those  of  you  who  defend  the  doctrine  of  force,  who 
argue  that  freedom  has  always  been  gained  that 
way,  forget  the  ballot,  and  that  the  world  is  mov- 


CLEVE'S  VISIT  TO  THE  PIT  195 

ing  in  different  atmospheric  thought.  I  am  an  ad- 
vocate of  a  bloodless  revolution.  It  is  sane  from 
a  moral,  a  financial,  or  from  any  standpoint  of 
human  justice. 

"If  we  win  the  control  of  the  Government  by  the 
ballot,  and  are  denied  that  right,  then  self-preserva- 
tion is  the  first  law  of  nature.  If  it  shall  be  war, 
war  it  shall  be;  and  war  to  the  sword,  and  the 
sword  to  the  hilt.  I  have  lived  that  I  - 

At  this  moment  wild  and  frantic  cries  came  from 
the  terrorized  thousands.  The  armored  engines, 
hissing  like  death-dealing  dragons  from  the  gates 
of  Hell,  plowed  into  the  defenceless  mass.  From 
the  iron  sides  of  life-destroying  instruments,  be- 
neath the  wheels  oozed  human  gore  like  juice  from 
a  cider-press.  In  their  murderous  wake,  bodies 
lay  flattened  on  the  pavement.  Some  crushed  in 
head  and  shoulders ;  some  through  the  middle,  and 
others  with  their  lower  anatomy  gone.  But  all, 
with  life  enough,  writhed  and  twisted  in  their  dis- 
torted agony.  Cleve  looked  at  Marion.  Her  face 
was  achromatic.  The  street  was  darkened.  From 
it  came  no  scene,  only  the  anguishing  calls  of  the 
dying  and  the  exhaust  of  the  ponderous  engines. 
"  The  Clouds  cared  not  to  witness  their  own  foul 
exhibition,"  he  thought.  Then  he  offered  a  mental 
prayer  for  Humanity's  safety. 


CHAPTER    XXII 

THE  DEATH  OF  COLONEL  CLEVENDOR 

CLEVE'S  mind  was  afire  from  what  he  had  seen 
the  night  before  —  the  injustice  of  the  brutal  as- 
sault—  the  inequalities  and  the  utter  hopelessness 
of  it  all  —  Marion's  views  and  actions.  A  cry 
for  justice  reigned  in  him  and  made  him  as 
furious  as  a  lion.  He  left  the  hotel  to  go  to  his 
father's  home  and  tell  him  all.  He  found  Norton 
there  before  him  discussing  this  very  topic.  His 
father  informed  him  that  he  and  Mr.  Norton 
"  were  speaking  of  generalities  and  he  was  relating 
the  terrible  assault  by  ruffians,  thugs  and  cut- 
throats on  the  hotel,  when  the  dragons  prevented 
what  might  have  been  a  hideous  massacre  of  the 
inmates." 

"  Yes,  this  was  the  predicament/'  added  Norton, 
looking  uncertainly  at  Cleve.  "  That  the  ruffianism 
of  this  class  makes  us  unsafe  is  self-evident.  Why, 
they  sang  songs  about  you  and  all  Clouddwellers. 
I  was  nearer  the  ground  and  could  hear  their 
vituperations.  The  speaker  who  addressed  the  mob 
was  a  woman,  very  beautiful  of  face  and  figure, 
but  very  criminal.  She  poured  out  gush  and  slush 
calculated  to  stir  the  baser  element  of  man.  I 
feared  for  my  loved  ones,  and  —  for  you,  Cleve.  I 
feared  for  you,  Mr.  Clevendor,  here  alone.  There 


THE  DEATH  OF  COLONEL  CLEVENDOR     197 

were  millions  of  them.  I  sent  word  to  Greyhouse, 
and  you  know  the  rest. 

Norton  continued :  "As  I  have  said,  Mr.  Cleven- 
dor, I  came  to  see  you  about  putting-  down  these 
brazen  affronts.  No  free  Government  can  long 
exist  if  these  assassins  congregate  in  its  streets. 
They  refute  the  divine  right  to  own  property,  that 
land  should  be  as  free  as  the  air.  They  vow  such 
men  as  we  are  an  impediment  to  progress.  What 
have  you  to  say,  Cleve?"  asked  Norton,  "  some- 
times young  brains  are  good."  He  turned  to  Mr. 
Clevendor :  "  We  must  invite  his  opinions.  He  has 
become  great  since  his  victory  with  the  C.  F.  &  D. 
and  his  success  at  Grand  Central." 

"  I  have  only  regarded  him  as  a  boy  as  yet,  you 
know,"  answered  his  father. 

"  Never  thought  much  of  his  views  ?  "  Norton 
questioned. 

"  I  admit  it,"  agreed  Mr.  Clevendor ;  "  an  audi- 
ence with  most  any  one,  I  am  ashamed  to  say,  is 
very  painful  to  me.  I  may  be  getting-  old,  but  I 
have  cared  very  little  for  them.  A  conversation 
of  few  words  can  reach  me  better;  however,  as 
we  have  come  to  that  stage  of  political  affairs 
when  longer  interviews  are  necessary,  and  the  wits 
of  all,  who  are  marked  for  execution  are  needed, 
Mr.  Norton.  This  is  the  time  that  '  tries  the  souls 
of  men/  ' 

"  As  you  have  dropped  a  bar  (excuse  the  phrase) 
where  I  can  mildly  criticize,"  said  Norton,  "  I  will 
say  you  should  have  been  more  fatherly,  and  per- 
haps (I  have  no  intention  of  hurting  feelings)  more 
civil." 

"  That    I    have    admitted,"    returned    Clevendor 


198      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

again,  "  but  my  mannerisms  should  not  now  be  the 
subject,  if  we  are  to  save  the  country  from  revo- 
lution. The  less  we  mince  words  the  quicker  we 
will  put  into  operation  a  plan  to  perpetuate  the 
Republic.  If  Cleve  has  an  idea  to  advance  I  am 
ready  to  listen." 

"  We  are  ready  to  listen,"  repeated  Norton, 
looking  anxiously  at  him. 

Cleve's  fire  had  increased  his  steam  above  the 
capacity  of  his  boiler  and  an  explosion  was  inevi- 
table. Norton,  reputed  for  truth  and  veracity  — 
father  of  Marion  —  had  wilfully  lied.  He  had  re- 
spected him  up  till  the  Jackson  affair.  His  father's 
partner,  and  in  his  father's  home,  had  falsified. 
Should  he  shield  him?  Should  he  remain  shut- 
mouth  to  this  and  other  dastardly  acts?  No!  his 
soul  cried.  His  soul  made  him  tell  the  truth, 
rather  than  wilfully  refuting  Norton's  word. 

"  If  you  want  me  to  state,"  he  began  slowly, 
"  what  I  saw  last  night,  I  will  begin  by  saying, 
what  Mr.  Norton  has  told  you  is  a  damn  lie!" 

Norton  started,  turned  red  and  the  steel  grey  of 
his  eyes  froze,  chilled  and  gleamed  a  defiant  rage. 
Colonel  Clevendor  trembled  in  the  excitement  and 
cried :  "  You  see  the  reason  !  He's  a  —  I  want  to 
say  it !  I  am  his  father.  He  must  apologize !  " 

"  Not  necessary,"  replied  Norton,  regaining  his 
composure.  "  Our  sympathies  sometimes  make  us 
make  some  astonishing  declarations.  Shall  I  con- 
tinue ?  "  he  asked,  half  questioningly  and  shooting 
a  cutting  glance  at  Cleve  who  was  nervously  hold- 
ing the  office  table  and  breathing  in  quick  succes- 
sion as  if  he  was  almost  choking  with  emotion. 

"You  are  at  liberty  to  explain  my  son's  ungen- 


THE  DEATH  OF  COLONEL  CLEVENDOR     199 

tlemanly  conduct,"  assured  his  father,  "  and  why  he 
passes  such  an  insult." 

"  Marion  says  your  son  has  been  strangely  drawn 
to  a  woman  called  Humanity.  She  has  exceptional 
beauty  and  intelligence.  She  created  a  scandal  at 
Grand  Central.  She  broke  the  patrol  and  held  a 
tete-a-tete  with  him.  Ask  him  if  he  was  not  at 
Murder's  Row  the  day  the  beasts  were  fed,  and  that 
was  no  longer  than  yesterday?  You  know  the 
place.  Shall  I  mention  its  political  beliefs  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  the  father  looking  sternly  at  his  son. 

"  Ask  him  if  the  woman  who  met  him  at  Grand 
Central  was  not  the  same  woman  that  fed  the  Pit 
yesterday  ?  "  Norton  went  on.  "  Ask  him  if  she 
was  not  the  leader  of  the  mob  last  night  ?  " 

"  What  have  you  to  say  to  this  ? "  asked  his 
father.  "  Is  this  the  truth  ?  " 

"Yes  —  but—  "  he  faltered. 

"  Enough !  Not  another  word !  "  exclaimed  the 
Colonel  angrily. 

"  I  will  speak,"  retorted  Cleve  stoutly.  "  If  you 
are  a  just  father  you  will  grant  the  privilege." 

"  This  I  do  not  refuse,  but  you  have  no  right  to 
insult  a  gentleman  in  our  home !  " 

"  When  there's  one  here,  I'll  be  the  last  one  to 
do  it,"  he  returned,  looking  at  Norton. 

Norton  winced  under  the  direct  slap,  and  Mr. 
Clevendor  relieved  the  situation  by  saying :  "Mr. 
Norton  is  a  gentleman." 

"  I  was  an  eye-witness,  too,"  Cleve  shot  back. 

"  Well,  what  did  you  see  ?  Perhaps  you  can  be 
a  little  more  explicit." 

"  I  was  there,  as  Norton  says.  I  had  just  gone 
into  the  hotel  after  witnessing,  in  the  streets,  what 


200       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

I  had  never  witnessed  before.  Marion  and  I  ex- 
changed greetings,  when  this  so-called  mob  came. 
They  were  only  making  a  demonstration  and  I 
judged  they  had  left  the  main  thoroughfares  to 
carry  out  their  programme  in  peace.  This  woman 
addressed  them.  I  know  nothing  of  her  except 
that  she  spends  time  and  money  to  uplift  the  Pit. 
She  pointed  out  that  a  bad  act  reverted  against 
them  and  not  to  indulge  in  it  —  to  return  good  for 
evil.  Then  the  dragons  and  the  street  became 
dark  —  " 

"  Gentlemen !  "  put  in  Norton,  "  I  am  very  sorry 
I  have  been  the  cause  of  this ;  but  Mr.  Qevendor, 
I  am  not  afraid  to  talk  to  you.  I  have  always  had 
great  admiration  for  Cleve.  I  have  looked  forward 
to  that  day  when  I  could  take  him  by  the  hand  and 
call  him  my  son.  But  —  now,  that  day  can  never 
be ! " 

"What!"  shouted  Clevendor.  "You  mean  he 
is  not  good  enough  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no,  Mr.  Clevendor,  I  meant  no  such  allu- 
sion. He  has  virtually  declared  this  engagement  off. 
I  will  not  say  your  son  told  an  untruth ;  above  all 
things  I  believe  he  would  not.  But  —  "  he  paused 
—  "  certain  things  sometimes  blind  us.  I  can  for- 
give this  rashness  of  youth.  What  he  has  said  and 
done  cannot  hurt  me ;  but,  can  Marion  forgive  and 
forget?  Can  she?  It  is  her  grief  that  pains  me. 
You,  Mr.  Clevendor,  have  no  natural  right  to  let 
him  ruin  himself.  It  is  not  low  blood,  but  he  has 
felt  the  gifted  designing  influence  of  a  creature  who 
preaches  death  and  destruction !  " 

With  these  words  Norton  moved  toward  the  door. 
Cleve's  eyes  followed  him  in  disgust.  His  father 


THE  DEATH    OF   COLONEL   CLEVENDOR  201 

was  in  his  dotage.     He  knew  Norton  would  not 
stop  at  crime  itself.     After  his  exit  it  was  a  pain- 
ful moment    (it  seemed  hours)    before  his   father 
spoke:  "  What  is  your  defense,  young  man?  " 
"  Nothing." 

"  What !  "  he  demanded. 

"  Nothing  further  than  what  I  have  made,"  he 
replied. 

"  Your  talk  and  acts  both  justify  an  apology  to 
Mr.  Norton,  which  you  must  make,  or  leave  this 
house  and  never  return,  as  my  son,  until  you  have," 
he  declared. 

*'  You  wouldn't  make  me  bow  because  I  told  the 
truth  ?  Father,  you  are  sane !  " 

"Will  you  do  it?"  his  father  cried,  trembling, 

his  eyes  blazing,  nostrils  twitching  and  his  lips  the 

pallor  of  death,  clasping  the  table  with  his  nervous 

fingers  and  looking  an  outraged  look  at  his  son. 

Cleve  remained  silent.     "  Will  you  do  it  ?  "  came 

the  repeated  words  from  an  imbecile  shadow.    His 

father  was  in  the  omega  —  the  evening  of  his  life 

had  come.    Pity  reached  the  depths  of  Cleve's  heart. 

Suppose  he  should  be  suddenly  hurled  into  eternity 

—  he  would  go  believing  his  son  was  a  liar.    What 

must  he  do?     Cleve  asked  himself.     Why  not  give 

in  —  in  for  his  father's  sake  ?    No.    He  would  make 

Norton  the  liar  in  his  father's  mind.    The  old  man 

rallied    from    his    nervous    exhaustion   and   pulled 

himself    together    and    demanded :    "  I    dislike    to 

drive  you  to  obedience,  but  you  can't  live  under  my 

roof,  you  understand!   and  insult  a  gentleman." 

"  Give  me  time  to. explain." 

"  You  admitted  what  Mr.  Norton  said  —  " 

"  Part  of  it,"  Cleve  corrected. 


202       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  What  of  this  engagement?  What  were  your 
reasons?  unless  it  was  that  woman/' 

"  Stop !     Father,  you  are  carrying  this  too  far." 

"  And  no  doubt  'tis  a  woman  that  would  disgrace 
the  name  I  have  given  you !  The  name  I  have  tried 
to  make  stand  for  honor  and  — " 

"  Stop  !  Father,  I  know  nothing  of  this  woman !  " 
Cleve  interposed. 

"  You  defend  her !  "  he  continued,  "  when  she 
led  a  murderous  band  of  cut-throats  !  And  — 

"Father  —  " 

"  Don't  father  me !  And  you  were  in  Murder's 
Row;  you  do  not  deny!  A  loathsome  place  for  a 
gentleman !  " 

"  She  was  at  Grand  Central !  Showing  that  you 
were  intimate !  "  he  continued. 

"  She  was,"  he  replied,  somewhat  subdued. 

"And  tagging  each  other  around  at  different 
places !  You  a  son  of  a  gentleman  and  she  a  ques- 
tionable woman !  " 

"  Stop !  Father,  even  you  must  not  say  that !  I 
know  better !  " 

"  Know  better !  Then  you  must  be  acquainted ! 
It's  an  outrage  to  me,  and  an  insult  to  Norton  and 
an  indecency  to  Marion.  You  would  turn  a  good 
woman  down  for  this  unknown  quantity.  No 
doubt  she  is  a  woman  that  will  place  you  beneath 
my  dignity  and  respect!  If  you  be  my  son,  you 
must  renounce  this  woman  and  apologize  to  those 
you  have  offended  !  " 

"  Take  care !  Father,  you  are  the  only  man  on 
earth  whom  I  would  allow  to  say  such  a  thing; 
and  even  you  must  not  force  this  insult !  " 

"  Insult !        You      ingrate ! "      cried      Clevendor. 


THE  DEATH  OF  COLONEL  CLEVENDOR     203 

"  Have  you  fallen  so  low  as  to  forget  the  stigma 
you  have  glued  to  a  spotless  name?  Have  your 
infamous  dealings  with  this  woman  become  so 
great  that  you  are  a  moral  pervert?  Has  all  honor 
and  sense  of  decency  died  in  you?  Must  you  feel 
insulted  every  time  this  '  free-lover '  is  censured  ? 
Have  you  no  self-respect,  or  respect  for  me  or  your 
friends?  Renounce. her  and  promise  never  to  see 
her  again.  Apologize  for  your  deeds  and  I'll  —  " 

"If  you  insist  upon  my  answer,"  Cleve  inter- 
rupted, "  if  you  intend  to  take  the  C.  F.  &  D.  from 
me  —  if  this  is  your  final  and  crucial  test  —  if  you 
intend  to  drive  me  into  the  streets,  where  by  na- 
ture, I  am  unfit  to  compete  with  the  already  over- 
production of  wage  workers  —  where  my  struggle 
for  existence  would  be  but  short  lived,  knowing  it 
to  be  absolutely  suicidal,  my  answer  is  emphatically 
no.  I  will  never  apologize,  for  /  will  go  to  the  Pit 
first!" 

"  You  ingrate ! "  cried  his  father,  tottering 
toward  him  with  his  fists  clinched  and  raised  in  a 
striking  position.  He  had  advanced  only  a  few 
steps  when  he  fell  headlong  to  the  floor.  The  end 
had  come,  Cleve  thought,  as  he  bent  over  the  pros- 
trate form.  He  caught  the  sound  of  incoherent 
words  as  he  tenderly  removed  him  to  his  little  bed- 
room. In  there  as  he  laid  him  down  in  his  bed,  his 
hands  became  cold  and  clammy,  his  chest  heaved 
and  breath  came  faster  and  faster,  and  before  he 
could  obtain  medical  aid,  his  body  went  into  a  rigor, 
he  ebbed  a  sigh  and  was  still.  What  he  had  ex- 
pected was  a  reality  —  his  father's  soul  had  passed 
into  the  land  of  spirits. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 

THE    FUNERAL 

IT  was  all  over,  and  all  that  was  mortal  of  his 
father's  body  had  been  cremated,  the  ashes  placed 
in  a  black  metal  urn,  left  in  the  open  for  the  winds 
to  blow  to  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  city.  This 
had  been  his  father's  wish  and  had  been  carried  out 
to  the  letter. 

As  in  all  cases  the  day  had  been  trying.  Friends 
had  come  to  console  and  offer  good  cheer. 

The  light  of  the  eventful  day  was  slowly  reced- 
ing and  a  diffusion  of  night,  dreary  darkness  fell 
once  more  over  the  turbulent  city.  In  the  twilight 
of  what,  otherwise,  would  have  been  a  beautiful 
evening,  he  had  sought  the  solitude  of  the  aerial 
tower.  Here  he  could  watch  the  last  star  peep,  and 
imagine  he  saw  the  last  particle  of  his  father's 
ashes  wafted  to  the  four  ends  of  earth.  Grave 
were  his  features ;  more  intense,  perhaps,  were  his 
thoughts.  However,  his  face  wore  no  expression 
of  sadness  or  regret.  To  him  death  had  no  hor- 
ror; it  was  only  the  inevitable,  and  he  viewed  it 
philosophically.  To  him  death  had  no  sting,  the 
grave  contained  no  victory.  It  was  only  a  moment 
of  intermission,  a  short  rest,  that  permitted  the 
soul  of  man  to  pass  from  the  material  to  the  spirit- 
ual world.  The  grave  received  and  retained  that 


THE   FUNERAL  205 

part,  or  substance,  which  could  not  float  in  that 
realm  beyond  the  skies. 

There  had  been  no  love  between  them,  he 
thought,  as  he  sat  there  in  his  loneliness ;  how- 
ever, he  regretted  the  last  interview,  the  last  scene, 
and  felt  some  compunction  of  conscience,  that  he 
might  have  been  the  cause  of  hastening  the  untimely 
end. 

Under  the  powerful  searchlights  he  could  see 
aerial  boats  passing  to  and  fro,  seeking  sport  and 
pleasure.  Some  were  of  gorgeous  array  and  shone 
in  the  moonlight  like  birds  of  golden  or  silver 
plumage.  Some  had  bodies  as  black  as  ink,  with 
glaring  lamp-like  eyes  and  tails  of  fire  that  looked 
like  creatures  of  prey.  They  shot  across  the  sky 
with  the  speed  of  meteors  and  buried  themselves 
in  the  utter  darkness.  The  music  from  pleasure 
boats  dinned  in  his  ears  and  Grand  Central  in  the 
distanct  looked  like  a  pyramid  of  obscurity. 

Down,  from  below,  came  the  call  of  the  wild  and 
weary.  Greyhouse  had  sent  double  patrol  late  in 
the  day  as  the  crowds  grew  in  the  streets  around 
the  place.  Once  a  riot  almost  precipitated,  con- 
sternation running  to  fever  heat,  by  harangues 
from  Pit  orators,  until  a  spirit  of  vengeance  was 
manifested.  The  dragons  again  played  their  part 
and  drove  the  nomads  to  subjection.  Even  this  did 
not  stop  the  cries  of  the  many,  as  they  shouted 
gleefully  on  what  they  termed  the  death  of  the 
"  monster."  This  concerned  Cleve,  and  he  decided 
at  all  hazards  to  earn  their  respect. 

Marion,  her  mother  and  father  had  come  to  see 
him.  Norton,  himself,  showed  no  feeling  of  resent- 
ment and  was  willing  to  forgive  and  forget.  This 


206       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

morning  visit  was  short  and  they  anticipated  to 
return  in  the  evening.  And  he  was  not  surprised 
when  a  craft  landed  and  the  Norton  party  came 
out  of  it.  Besides  them,  there  were  Greyhouse  and 
other  ladies  and  gentlemen.  Cleve  could  not  under- 
stand why  they  should  all  come  at  this  inopportune 
time,  as  he  was  gloomy  and  none  of  this  primrose 
party  could  get  much  pleasure  in  talking  to  him. 

Marion  displayed  her  usual  amount  of  feeling 
towards  him,  and  had  out-distanced  the  rest  of  the 
party  to  be  the  first  to  greet  him.  Cleve  felt  more 
at  home  with  the  C.  F.  &  D.  or  some  kind  of  sport 
than  he  did  in  parading  in  social  functions  where 
conversation  usually  runs  on  topics  that  were  not 
to  his  liking.  As  yet,  he  had  won  no  medals  for 
bravery  in  it,  and  had  felt  no  little  timidity  in  the 
presence  of  those  who  lived  and  acted  this  life. 

Marion  intuitively  read  his  mind,  and  said: 
"  This  is  the  night  of  Helen  Windsthurs'  debut  (the 
youngest  of  the  three  sisters).  It  has  been  post- 
poned on  account  of  your  misfortune,  and  the 
guests  volunteered  to  come  with  us  to  show  their 
sympathy." 

He  pressed  her  hand  softly  and  looked  earnestly 
down  in  her  eyes  as  he  replied :  "  Marion,  if  there 
is  a  time  I  need  you,  it  is  now." 

A  deep  red  mounted  her  cheek  —  her  lustrous 
eyes  softened,  and  beaming  a  smile,  she  answered: 
"  You  really  are  not  '  kidding  '  me  ?  However,  it 
makes  me  so  happy  to  hear  you  say  it ! " 

"  I  am  not,"  he  returned  laughingly. 

"  Humanity  ?  "  she  asked  anxiously. 

"  You  should  not  bother  about  her,"  he  assured. 


THE    FUNERAL  207 

"  Remember  you  let  me  stand  there  at  Grand 
Central." 

"Didn't  we  settle  this  the  other  night?  You 
know  the  circumstances." 

"  Noticed  her,"  she  pouted. 

Further  conversation  of  this  nature  was  impos- 
sible. The  rest  of  the  party  arrived,  including 
U.  S.  Senators  John  L.  Dawson  and  A.  K.  Clark, 
Rudolph  James,  of  the  Evening  News,  and  their 
wives  and  daughters,  and  other  lesser  guests. 

"  We  —  I  suppose  I  speak  the  sentiment  of  all," 
said  Norton,  glancing  around  before  proceeding, 
"  have  come  to  pay  our  respects.  Had  we  wanted 
entertainment,  we  would  have  gone  to  Temple 
Marion,  where  the  Windsthurs  are  to  prese — " 

"  Oh,  no,  father,"  put  in  Marion.  "  It  has  been 
postponed,  and  you  remember  why." 

"  Sure !  How  thoughtless  of  me.  Well,  we 
could  have  gone  to  Defry's  and  had  a  time,"  he  cor- 
rected. 

"  I  am  glad  you  came,"  said  Cleve,  using  a  little 
diplomacy.  "  To  look  at  this  party  one  might  think 
it  was  a  political  caucus." 

"  Call  it  what  you  wish,  Mr.  Clevendor,"  said 
Greyhouse,  "  we  have  come  to  say  we  will  stand  by 
you/' 

"  Friends,  I  thank  you,  and  feel  grateful  to  the 
friends  of  my  father  and  hope  they  will  be  his  son's 
friends.  You  can  have  music  and  a  dinner  from 
Defry's,  and  Mr.  Norton  can  still  '  have  his  time,'  'J 
returned  Cleve,  changing  to  a  half  jocular  strain. 

"  You  will  let  us  dance,  too  ?  "  asked  some  of  the 
ladies. 


208      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  You  can  have  full  sway  —  guests  here  can  have 
what  they  wish,"  he  replied. 

Norton  and  Greyhouse  walked  away  and  when  at 
a  safe  distance  Greyhouse  remarked :  "  A  great 
scheme,  Norton.  I  never  would  have  believed  he 
would  do  it." 

"  The  only  way,"  answered  Norton.  "  You 
know  as  well  as  I  do  why  this  Windsthurs'  recep- 
tion was  postponed.  Old  Henry  lost  the  '  where- 
with '  trying  to  keep  his  stocks  afloat  last  week. 
The  unstable  market  —  the  panicky  times  and  not 
knowing  what  the  fool  Pit  will  do  has  eliminated 
him  forever  as  a  stock  broker.  Cleve  thinks  his 
father's  death  will  end  all  of  this  and,  also  thinks, 
our  happiness  has  been  marred  so  he  is  planning 
this  dinner." 

"  I  understand  the  Daily  Labor  has  an  editorial 
on  this  death,"  said  Greyhouse,  branching  a  little 
from  the  subject. 

"  Just  it.  This  feast  will  give  them  more  fuel. 
It  will  hit  him  hard.  He  will  strike  back  and  per- 
haps declare  war  on  the  Editor.  I  understand 
they  have  a  new  Speaker,  and  will  speak  to-night. 
Do  you  know  her  ?  "  he  asked  pointedly. 

"  Slightly,"  answered  Greyhouse,  coloring  and 
growing  nervous.  "  She  calls  herself  Humanity, 
or  —  or  that's  what  the  Pit  calls  her." 

"  Cleve's  in  love  with  her,  or  whatever  they  call 
it.  I'm  talking  plain,  Greyhouse,"  said  Norton. 

"A  bold  game,"  put  up  Greyhouse  weakly. 

"  Call  it  that  —  but  I  want  this  woman  out  of 
the  way.  You  understand  —  you  can  turn  the 
trick  —  you  know  her !  " 


THE   FUNERAL  209 

"  Yes  —  but  —  Marion  will  marry  Cleve,"  he 
whined. 

"You  guess  rightly." 

"Where  do  I  come  in?"  the  Mayor  pleaded. 

"  In  that  I'm  not  at  all  interested,"  returned  Nor- 
ton. 

"  Have  I  nothing  to  say  about  this  ?  " 

"  You  are  not  considered,"  Norton  growled. 
"Didn't  I  make  you  Mayor?" 

"  Yes  —  " 

"  And  you  have  the  nerve  to  ask  to  be  my  son- 
in-law,"  interrupted  Norton. 

"  I'm  staggered !  "  Greyhouse  exclaimed. 

"  Can  I  depend  on  you  ?  "  asked  Norton  roughly. 

"  I  am  your  slave,  Norton !  "  sneered  Greyhouse. 

"  Then,  slave,  serve  your  master !  "  Norton  shot 
back. 

They  went  to  where  the  tables  were  fixed.  All 
were  seated  —  toasts  offered  and  the  music  started. 
The  feast  was  in  full  sway  —  the  wine  sparkled 
and  all  were  making  merry  —  and  some  dancing. 
Like  unto  Belshazzar's  feast  of  debauchery  the 
handwriting  on  the  wall,  came  the  roaring  and 
thundering  words  from  the  mouths  of  the  Daily 
Labor.  While  those  big  polished  bell  openings 
gleamed  with  unusual  brightness  no  editorial 
speaker  appeared. 

"Dear  Pitdwellers,"  it  belched,  "yesterday's 
death  removed  the  great  '  Monster ! '  We  are  not 
happy  because  of  it,  for  the  fangs  of  this  great 
'  Robber '  which  were  driven  into  your  hearts  are 
willed  to  his  offspring,  who  will  drive  them  still 
deeper.  This  young  octopus,  and  other  parasites, 
together  with  sycophants  and  henchmen  are  having 


210       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

a  festival  of  Belshazzar's  debauchery  while  you 
starve ! 

"  We  fail  to  see  how  you  will  profit,"  the  voice 
went  on,  "  by  this  death.  Only  the  Cloud's  forces 
will  be  weakened;  but  the  loss  of  any,  or  one  sor- 
did intellect  of  their  cause  ought  to  be  a  welcome 
to  you  poor  devils  who  know  no  law  but  force. 
We  cannot  forget  the  creator  of  the  '  black 
dragons/ 

"  We  do  not  wish  to  go  into  the  past  career  of 
this  immoral  life,  because,  we  have  no  admiration 
for  the  beast  that  won  out  in  the  survival  of  the 
fittest.  To  him  we  can  offer  no  crown  of  glory; 
but  can  only  point  out  that  the  skulls  of  his  many 
victims  were  but  stepping-stones  to  his  success,  and 
the  sobs  of  widows  and  orphans*  are  yet  fresh  in 
our  ears  as  we,  in  our  own  minds,  picture  him,  a 
hideous  monster  without  a  heart.  We  notice  him 
editorially  as  the  biggest  shark  of  them  all  and  the 
mainstay  that  now  props  a  tottering  monarchy  of 
profit,  interest,  greed  and  graft. 

"  We  also  note  with  pleasure  the  celebrations  in 
the  Pit  to-day ;  but,  we  wish  to  again  reiterate 
that  you  have  gained  nothing  by  this  death.  You 
are  still  the  slaves  of  the  system  and  the  death  of 
ten  thousand  men  like  this  one  will  never  sever  the 
chains  that  bind  you.  Remember  our  motto: 
'  That  our  ballot  is  our  sword  —  our  law  is  love ! ' : 

As  the  dismal  echo  of  the  voice  died  away  Grey- 
house  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  cried :  "  Outrageous ! 
Outrageous  !  Are  there  no  law,  Senators  —  " 

"  By  which  this  infernal  voice  can  be  closed  ?  " 
interrupted  Norton,  his  face  heated  with  excite- 
ment. 


THE    FUNERAL  211 

"  No  law  —  no  moral,  by  which  we  can  close  its 
mouth,"  responded  Dawson,  the  Senator  addressed. 

"  If  I  were  a  Senator,"  spoke  Greyhouse,  "  I 
would  do  my  part  in  putting-  every  Pit  mouth- 
piece under  censorship.  If  this  I  could  not  do  I 
would  be  in  favor  of  shooting-  or  destroying-  all  of 
those  who  deny  the  divinity  of  the  right  to  own 
private  property.  I  would  pledge  my  word,  the 
Divine  Ruler  being  my  helper  and  witness !  " 

"  You  are  too  great  to  be  a  mere  Mayor !  You 
ought  to  be  President. "  exclaimed  Norton,  de- 
lighted, tightly  grasping-  his  slave's  hand. 


CHAPTER   XXIV 

THE   SIGNIFICANT   CARD 

IT  was  a  scared  and  frightened  crowd  that  de- 
parted after  the  words  of  the  Daily  Labor.  Cleve 
could  not  remember  whether  he  shook  hands  with 
his  friends  or  not,  so  great  was  the  chaos.  But  of 
one  thing  he  was  sure,  there  was  some  hidden 
scheme  on  the  part  of  Norton  on  bringing  the 
politicians  along. 

He  was  quick  to  seize  the  opportunity  of  an- 
nouncing Greyhouse  for  President.  He  must  have 
know  that  the  Daily  would  have  something  to  say ; 
yet,  the  editorial  was  graver  than  he  expected. 
His  face  was  flushed  and  the  programme  was  cut 
short.  James  mumbled  something  inaudible. 
Even  Greyhouse,  that  cool,  gambler-looking  gentle- 
man shuddered  after  his  over-anxious  appeal  for 
the  Cloud's  support. 

The  editorial  sank  like  a  dagger  into  Cleve's 
heart.  He  was  not  vindictive,  but  silent.  He  was 
marked  by  the  Pit  because  he  was  the  son  of  the 
deceased  Octopus  and  that  was  all.  Marion  as- 
sumed courage  to  press  his  hand  and  to  look  ear- 
nestly into  his  eyes.  Somehow,  he  wondered,  if 
she  was  sincere.  Whether,  after  all,  she  was  but 
one  more  tool  of  her  father's  many? 


THE   SIGNIFICANT   CARD  213 

No,  he  must  not  believe  this ;  he  must  think  her 
good  and  true.  Oftentimes,  if  ever,  it  was  difficult 
to  distinguish  between  the  good  and  the  bad  in- 
tent; therefore,  he  concluded  it  was  just  as  hard 
for  an  earnest  face  to  look  into  his  and  deliberately 
tell  a  lie.  He  decided  to  give  her  the  benefit  of  the 
doubt.  Some  may  be  able  to  tell,  he  continued  on 
in  this  line  of  thought,  but  he  had  not  reached  that 
intellectual  development  when  he  could  peer 
through  the  frontal  bone  and  see  a  contradiction 
of  what  appeared  on  the  surface. 

He  did  not  have  spirit  eyes.  He  was  still  human, 
governed  by  the  laws  of  flesh  and  blood.  He  knew 
Marion  of  the  past,  and  the  present,  and  these  were 
the  only  standards  by  which  he  could  measure  her. 

The  city  grew  quiet  as  the  hours  dwindled  past 
midnight.  Aerial  crafts  became  scarcer  and  in- 
habitants once  more  began  to  sleep.  For  Cleve 
this  was  impossible.  He  sat  grim,  with  a  thousand 
thoughts  burning  his  mind.  By  nature  he  was  an 
idealist ;  by  environment  a  Monopolist.  A  Monop- 
olist with  nothing  left  to  monopolize.  The  C.  & 
N.  Co.,  together  with  the  C.  F.  &  D.,  owned  prac- 
tically all  of  the  nation.  "  Where  would  it  end  ?  " 
he  thought,  his  mind  confused. 

Deep  in  this  meditation,  he  did  not  notice  a  neat 
craft  land,  and  a  stylishly  dressed  woman  ap- 
proaching. She  came  with  no  uncertain  step.  The 
symmetrical  grace  of  the  girlish  figure  indicated 
good  breeding  and  good  looks  before  you  had  be- 
held her  features.  In  this  abstraction,  his  face  in 
his  hands,  looking  between  the  long  fingers,  down- 
ward, he  was  unaware  of  her  presence  until  she 
laid  a  hand  on  his  shoulder.  He  arose  hurriedly 


214       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

from  his  position,  his  fist  clinched  and  in  a  striking 
attitude. 

"  You  strike  a  woman !  "  she  said,  holding  up  her 
hand  to  ward  off  the  blow.  "  However,  it  is  only 
natural;  a  Clouddweller  is  no  respecter  of  persons. 
Money  is  God ;  it  is  everything !  " 

"  Humanity !  Where !  What !  You  here !  "  he 
cried. 

"  Yes,"  she  answered. 

"  Glad !  "  he  returned,  regaining  composure  and 
offering  his  hand. 

She  drew  back  as  if  afraid :  "  You  see  I  am 
alone,"  she  said ;  "  and  as  I  am  a  woman  who  fights 
for  the  Pit,  I  am  not  considered  by  your  class.  It 
is  best  to  remain  at  a  conversational  distance." 

"  Understand,  now  and  forever,  I  consider  it 
otherwise,"  he  returned  offended. 

"  You  make  me  smile,"  she  answered.  "  I  would 
laugh  if  I  were  in  the  mood.  It  is  ridiculous  for 
you  to  talk  to  me  like  that.  Why,  man,  do  you 
know  who  I  am?  I  am  supposed  to  possess  no 
soul !  Believed  to  be  more  heartless  than  mere 
man.  If  it  were  known  by  those  whom  I  have 
given  my  life  to — "  she  paused;  "Mr.  Norton 
and  your  father  have  given  me  no  little  trouble !  " 

"I  thought  the  'Black  Dragons'  got  you  the 
other  night,"  he  returned. 

"  They  gave  me  a  '  race  for  the  money/  "  she 
answered  smiling. 

"  Why  did  you  speak  in  front  of  the  hotel  ?  "  he 
asked. 

"  To  be  frank,  I  thought  you  would  be  there ; 
and  I  wanted  to  reach  you,"  she  said  seriously. 

"  Me?  "  he  asked  surprised. 


THE    SIGNIFICANT    CARD  215 

"  YOU  !  " 

"  Why  should  you  have  any  interest  in  me?"  he 
stated. 

A  painful  expression  crossed  her  face  as  she 
answered :  "  Then  you,  too,  are  already  hardened. 
I  am  not  sorry  I  spoke  this  evening  for  the  Daily." 

"You?"  he  asked  fiercely. 

"  Yes,"  she  came  back  emphatically. 

"  You  said :  '  I  was  an  offspring  and  would  drive 
fangs  into  hearts ;  or  something  like  that ! ' : '  was 
his  laconic  reply. 

"  I  did,  and  I  have  come  to  ask  forgiveness.  I 
thought  the  words  might  have  cut  you.  Granting 
you  are  the  son  —  but  —  "  Her  face  grew  white 
with  rage :  "  I  hate  the  system !  And  they  who  be- 
lieve in  it !  I  cannot  help  it !  It  is  born  in  me,  and 
has  become  my  second  nature." 

"  Forgiven !  "  he  said  gently. 

She  started  to  take  his  hand.  He  held  back  say- 
ing :  "  You  being  alone  prevents  this.  Remember, 
young  lady,  you  have  no  chaperon." 

She  smiled  sweetly :  "  As  you  wish,  Mr.  Cloud- 
dweller.  I  see  you  are  bound  to  be  contrary;  but 
some  day  you  will  be  glad  to  do  so.  But  —  "  she 
stopped  —  "I  have  come  to  talk  to  you.  I  wish  to 
warn  you." 

"  Thank  you !  "  he  returned  bitterly. 

"You  doubt  me?" 

"Not  exactly,"  he  replied. 

"  Do  you  know  I  have  risked  much  to  come 
here  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Do  you  know  if  it  were  known 
I  were  here  I  would  be  termed  a  traitress ;  and 
—  and  something  awful  would  happen  to  me  ?  " 

"  No !    I  didn't  know  as  much ! "  he  answered, 


216       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

trying  to  keep  back  the  myriad  terrors  that  threat- 
ened to  overwhelm  him. 

"  A  cold-blooded  fact,"  she  continued.  "  The  Pit 
recognizes  no  friend  outside  its  dirty  life.  And  if 
I  am  discovered  outside  its  sphere,  I  might  as  well 
bid  friends  good-bye,  because  I  am  sure  to  take  a 
journey  across  the  '  Stygian  river/  5: 

He  shuddered!  He  had  laughed  at  her  when 
she  had  told  him  something  similar  before!  He 
began  to  argue,  saying :  "  I  saw  you  at  the  hotel, 
at  Grand  Central.  Why  not  this  diabolical  pledge 
then?  These  places  are  certainly  outside  the  Pit's 
realm." 

"  Then,  I  had  not  taken  the  Murder's  thirty-sec- 
ond degree,"  she  explained.  "  It  is  like  Dante's  '  In- 
ferno ' :  '  Lose  all  hope,  ye  who  enter  here/  I  can 
never  visit  the  Clouds  again,  except  under  penalty 
of  death,  if  caught!  " 

''You  have  taken  — "  he  exclaimed. 

"  Yes.  I  took  the  '  Guild  of  Blood/  the  last  and 
most  fiendish  of  the  Murder's  exacting  bonds  of 
confederacy.  I  drank  the  gore  of  a  murdered 
Clouddweller !  "  she  replied. 

"  You  have  taken  this  hellish  blood-drinking  de- 
gree !  Hounds  of  Satan !  "  he  cried. 

"  Yes ;   and  why  not  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  You  mean  to  tell  me  you  drunk  the  blood  of  a 
human  being?  " 

She  gave  a  little  heartless  laugh :  "  Tremble,  you 
weak  Clouddweller.  I  only  drank  some  wine  sup- 
posed to  be  the  blood  of  our  enemies." 

"  Sounds  better,"  he  said,  heaving  a  sigh  of  re- 
lief. 

"  But  —  "  she  went  on,  "  I  came  to  inform  you 


THE   SIGNIFICANT   CARD  217 

that  you  and  every  one,  directly  and  indirectly  con- 
nected with  the  C.  &  N.  interests,  are  marked.  Do 
you  get  the  trend  of  conversation?  Mind  you,  and 
furthermore,  those  who  are  dependent  or  draw  an 
income  from  this  gigantic  monopoly,  are  likewise 
marked." 

"  You/'  she  continued,  "  the  natural  owner,  by 
'  terms  of  law/  the  Pit  has  figured  put  out-of-the- 
way,  this  holding  would  then  become  escheat;  and 
become  the  property  of  all  the  people.  The  Pit 
believes  this  to  avoid  a  revolution.  I  hate  to  think 
of  this  proposition,  but  the  Pit  knows  nothing  but 
cold-blooded  business.  Now/'  she  went  on,  "  I 
have  tried  to  make  you  conscious  of  this,  and  by 
your  actions  you  have  led  me  to  believe  that  you 
think  I  am  painting  the  picture  worse  than  it  really 
is,  but  at  the  first  smell  of  powder  your  defenders 
will  run;  they  do  not  fight  for  love  of  it  or  for 
civil  virtue,  but  because  you  and  Norton  feed  them. 
If  the  Pit  was  in  power  there  would  be  no  army 
and  navy.  And  at  your  and  Norton's  murder,  the 
troops  will  join  the  Pit  and  will  begin  a  carnage 
that  the  '  dark  night  of  civilization  '  will  not  com- 
pare, unless  checked  by  the  moral  elements  of  both 
classes." 

"  I  thank  you  for  this  consideration,"  he  said, 
"  but  I  can't  join  the  Pit,  as  you  wish ;  the  Cloud- 
dwellers  would  say  something  about  this.  No. 
I'm  born  under  an  unlucky  star,  and  I  am  marked 
for  execution  either  way  I  go." 

Her  face  pained,  as  she  answered  him :  "  Per- 
haps, I  think  more  of  you  than  I  should.  Remem- 
ber whatever  happens  I  am  still  your  friend.  Here 
is  a  card  which  the  Pit  will  respect;  take  it,  and 


218       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

some  day  it  may  come  in  very  handy  and  you'll  not 
regret  I  gave  it  to  you." 

With  bowed  head  and  a  sorrowful  face  she  re- 
turned to  her  ship.  An  impulse  was  strong  in  him 
to  call  her  back  and  feel  more  of  the  force  that  she 
used  in  pulling  him  towards  her  and  seemed  in- 
evitable as  the  law  of  gravitation.  He  wanted  to 
be  near  her  —  to  feel  the  inspiration  her  presence 
inspired.  He  wanted  to  look  long  and  tenderly 
into  the  face  he  could  love  and  respect. 

While  a  retrospective  view  of  •  conditions  and  a 
panoramic  scene  of  future  uncertainties  for  the 
time,  blinded  his  senses,  he  was  aroused  from  his 
reverie  by  the  whirr  of  a  motor,  and  again,  the 
spice  of  her  life,  the  ginger  of  her  emotions  had 
passed,  possibly  for  the  last  time,  from  his  pres- 
ence! 


CHAPTER   XXV 

THE    INTERNATIONAL    LINERS 

CLEVE  found  himself  on  the  landing  of  Grand 
Central's  pier,  late  one  afetrnoon,  a  few  days  fol- 
lowing Humanity's  mysterious  visit.  Grand  Central 
was  a  landing  for  all  the  Trans-Continental  Liners. 
A  spectator  could  see  and  meet  people  from  the 
four  corners  of  the  globe.  Each  nation  was  rep- 
resented by  a  nomad  of  more  or  less  respectability. 
Cleve  stood  to  one  side  of  the  vast  throng  and 
watched  the  conglomerated  mass  of  humanity  as 
it  surged  in  its  wake. 

The  liners,  loaded  with  passengers,  came  down 
looking  like  great  pillows  of  clouds  or  demons  of 
hurricanes  as  the  color  was  perceptible.  The  nearer 
they  came  the  bigger  they  were  and  looked  as  if 
the  huge  things  of  metal  would  cover  the  whole 
city.  They  came  from  every  port  and  every  nation 
and  made  a  great  disturbance  as  they  landed.  It 
was  a  beautiful  sight  and  had  always  afforded  him 
royal  entertainment  when  in  the  city.  He  would 
slip  away  from  his  friends,  take  a  seat  near  the 
docks,  and  would  muse  and  ponder  to  his  heart's 
content  on  the  insignificance  of  the  emigrants  who 
had  left  the  old  world  to  seek  their  fortunes  in  the 
new. 


220       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

The  hissing  and  buzzing  of  the  propellers  made 
speech  impossible  and  the  force  of  the  wind  almost 
disturbed  his  equilibrium.  Cleve  moved  to  a  safe 
distance  and  soon  his  attention  was  arrested  by  a 
party  that  seemed  to  be  surounding  a  woman.  At 
first  he  thought  they  were  of  his  society,  but  as  they 
drew  nearer  their  dress  and  manner  indicated  to 
the  contrary.  Suddenly  he  caught  his  breath  and 
his  heart  seemed  to  leap  to  his  throat.  The  out- 
lines of  the  girlish  figure  he  knew  too  well  for  it 
was  none  other  than  that  of  Humanity.  As  they 
advanced  he  walked  boldly  into  the  circle.  His 
actions  caused  a  commotion  and  Humanity,  her- 
self, looked  at  him  in  wonder.  She  surveyed  him 
coolly  and  was  quite  a  different  person  of  a  few 
nights  before.  Wishing  to  know  the  why  of  her 
refrigator's  stares  he  purposely  blocked  her  way 
as  she  made  an  effort  to  pass. 

"  Don't  you  know  me  ?  "  he  asked,  as  she  tried 
to  shun  him. 

"  I  can  best  answer  for  her,"  said  one  of  the 
men  of  the  party.  '  Can't  you  see  this  lady  does 
not  know  or  does  not  want  to  recognize  you?  You 
look  like  a  gentleman  but  her  actions  forbid  your 
further  intrusion." 

Cleve  looked  at  the  speaker.  It  was  the  same 
face  that  had  visited  him  in  the  West.  The  same 
ugly  scar  proclaimed  him  Suddroff.  He  began  to 
feel  uneasy. 

"  I  know  him,  Mr.  Suddroff,"  she  explained. 
"  He's  a  nugatory  pupil,  and  with  a  little  learning 
may  yet  become  a  great  benefactor.  I  would  in- 
troduce him,  but  it  would  be  of  no  consequence. 
He  has  acted  with  some  temerity,  and  possibly 


THE    INTERNATIONAL   LINERS  221 

caused  all  some  unnecessary  embarrassment.  I  will 
say  for  his  credit  that  he  has  a  heart,  but  we  and 
the  Pit  regard  him  as  a  monster.  He  is  a  Cloud- 
dweller!" 

SuddrofFs  black  eyes  flashed  and  he  saw  gestures 
of  hatred  from  all  sides.  Whether  Suddroff  rec- 
ognized him,  Cleve  could  not  tell ;  but  he  would 
not  have  liked  the  idea  of  encountering  him  either 
in  a  physical  or  intellectual  battle.  Why  Humanity 
would  keep  company  with  these  people  he  could  not 
understand. 

"  As  you  wish,"  said  Suddroff,  withdrawing  his 
threatening  advances.  "  If  it  is  your  desire  I  will 
let  him  go,  otherwise,  I  will  throw  him  headlong 
into  the  depths  below." 

"  It  is  my  wish,"  she  replied. 

As  Suddroff  desisted  he  still  regarded  Cleve  as 
if  he  wished  to  carry  out  the  ruling  passion  of  his 
brain.  He  eyed  him  so  closely  that  he  could  not 
meet  his  piercing  gaze  with  ease  or  candor.  This 
made  him  appear  doubly  guilty  and  as  if  some 
secret  understanding  existed  between  him  and  Hu- 
manity. She  was  placed  in  the  position  of  playing 
the  double  cross.  These  people  were  catholic  and 
lived  in  the  world  by  laws  that  were  exact  and  un- 
bending. 

Humanity  was  master  of  the  situation  —  she 
read  SuddrofFs  thoughts  and  began  to  speak:  "If 
any  of  you  doubt  my  sincerity  to  the  cause  let  him 
speak  so  I  may  not  continue  under  this  wrong  im- 
pression. I  left  a  place  where  my  fidelity  was 
never  questioned,"  she  said,  shooting  a  glance  at 
Suddroff.  "  It  was  the  upper-circle,  where  I  was 
an  equal.  I  left  it  for  the  blackest  spot  of  the  city 


222       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

-  Murder's  Row.  Here  to  begin  the  overthrow  of 
the  system  —  a  system  that  makes  nothing  but 
rulers  and  slaves.  I  did  it  not  because  I  wanted 
notoriety;  if  that  was  my  aim  I  would  have  acted 
differently.  I  left  the  portals  of  its  pearly  gates 
to  cast  my  lot  with  suffering  humanity.  If  my  acts 
are  questioned,  I  have  lived  in  vain,  and  my  dream 
for  the  great  human  principle  is  but  a  sickly 
vision." 

This  commotion  had  drawn  the  idle  and  curious. 
Cleve  moved  away  in  the  opposite  direction.  The 
congestion  became  so  complete  that  the  principals 
narrowly  averted  being  arrested.  The  police  dis- 
persed with  the  emphatic  "  move  on."  He  was 
conscious  of  the  fact  that  he  had  caused  this  hub- 
bub. To  speak  to  her  he  had  made  a  very  foolish 
attempt.  It  was  inopportuned,  and  to  protect  him 
and  herself  had  caused  her  coldness.  Why  not, 
after  all,  dismiss  the  thoughts  of  her?  She  could 
never  be  anything  more  to  him,  because  of  where 
she  lived  and  he  could  never  go  there. 

He  had  not  seen  Marion  since  the  night  of  the 
dinner.  He  had  been  pondering  the  great  ques- 
tions all  the  time  and  to-day  had  gone  to  Grand 
Central  to  see  sights  calculated  to  change  his  trend 
of  thoughts  for  the  while.  And,  too,  his  relations 
between  himself  and  her  father  had  been  strained. 
Perhaps  she  didn't  care  for  him  now,  but,  Norton, 
by  his  actions,  bore  no  malice  towards  him. 

Of  course  their  business  should  continue  on  the 
same  way.  But  the  mere  trifle  of  money-making 
was  of  no  interest  to  him.  To  find  who  Humanity 
was  before  she  entered  the  Pit  was  paramount  in 
his  mind.  He  was  certain  she  was  a  lady  then  and 


THE    INTERNATIONAL   LINERS  223 

now.  It  was  noble  in  her  to  make  this  sacrifice  to 
help  others. 

What  if  Marion  were  like  her:  what  happiness! 
He  chided  at  the  comparison.  The  mockery !  This 
could  never  be.  The  cries  of  the  weak  and  mis- 
erable had  never  reached  Marion's  ears.  Yea !  he 
was  lonesome,  even  while  the  crowds  passed  and 
repassed  him. 

He  was  marooned  —  isolated  in  his  thoughts 
with  a  sea  of  faces  about  him.  He  dared  not  speak 
for  aid  or  advice.  In  Humanity  alone  was  the 
center  of  his  aspirations  and  the  goal  of  his  happi- 
ness. The  dream  of  his  life!  The  way!  But 
could  he  make  this  leap?  Jump  from  the  Clouds 
to  the  Pit!  Must  he?  She  had,  and  he  would 
wager  his  life  she  was  happy.  Yes,  happy  in  that 
place!  Yet,  was  that  evidence  that  he  would  be 
contented?  Why  not  try  it!  He  could  never  be 
near  her  any  other  way.  Disguise  —  take  an  as- 
sumed name  and  follow  her.  Join  the  movement! 
These  thoughts  charged  his  being  with  new  life. 
Every  nerve  vibrated  with  thrilling  sensations. 
Electrified  until  his  face  shone  with  enthusiasm,  he 
felt  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  the  real  joy  of 
living. 

But  suppose  she  should  not  care  for  him  after  he 
had  made  this  surrender!  This  was  perplexing, 
should  he  fail  in  this  attempt !  But  being  near  her 
would  be  worth  the  price.  He  would  go  —  go  to 
the  Pit  and  live  as  the  Pitdwellers  lived! 


CHAPTER    XXVI 

THE   JAIL   DELIVERY 

SOME  few  weeks  had  elapsed  since  the  incident 
at  Grand  Central  and  Cleve  was  still  debating-  the 
probable  journey  into  the  Pit.  He  had  remained 
in  seclusion  and  even  refused  to  appear  in  the 
photophone.  He  had  been  making1  preparations  for 
the  intended  visit.  He  had  let  his  beard  grow  and 
then  had  it  trimmed  Vandyke  style.  It,  with  his 
hair,  was  dyed  rufous  color  and  in  this  manner  his 
disguise  was  so  complete  that  he  was  astonished 
at  himself. 

Arranging  the  finishing  touches  of  the  make-up 
he  slipped  away  by  the  secret  passage  with  a  grip 
full  of  gold  certificates  and  made  his  way  to  the 
Continental  Bank  &  Trust  Co.  Under  the  name  of 
John  Roberts  he  deposited  the  contents  of  the  bag. 

"  Mr.  Roberts,"  said  the  pale  faced  teller,  recov- 
ering speech  after  counting  the  huge  sum,  "  we  feel 
honored  to  have  you  as  one  of  our  customers.  I  am 
sure  our  President,  Mr.  Evans,  will  be  glad  to  meet 
you." 

"  I  have  just  arrived,"  returned  Cleve.  "  I  came 
here  to  study  sociological  conditions." 

Cleve  observed  that  a  small  slender  clerk  had 
looked  up  from  his  work  at  his  remark  and  was, 
without  doubt,  making  hasty  memoranda  of  their 


THE   JAIL   DELIVERY  225 

conversation.  Cleve  was  well  acquainted  with 
Evans,  but  he  wished  to  make  a  test  of  his  disguise. 
And  as  they  went  to  the  private  office,  our  hero 
almost  refused  to  enter  as  he  saw  Norton  with  the 
Bank's  executive. 

Mr.  Jones,  the  teller,  introduced  him,  and  his  in- 
cognito was  complete.  Both  gentlemen  asked  him 
many  questions  concerning  his  study  of  this  nature, 
and  he  left  them  as  the  hour  grew  late  for  the  Pit. 

As  Cleve's  feet  touched  the  earth  the  Daily's 
evening  edition  began.  He  listened  until  he  learned 
that  Humanity  would  address  the  Pit  in  the  Row. 
His  heart  beat  faster  —  this  was  the  place  to  which 
he  was  bound.  A  limousine  was  passing.  He 
hailed  it  and  gave  instructions  to  go  in  all  haste 
to  Murder's  Row.  The  driver  looked  as  if  he  mis- 
understood. "  The  speaking !  Murder's  Row  ! 
Quick !  "  he  explained. 

The  place  was  crowded,  and  Humanity  was  on 
the  rostrum.  An  old  gentleman  whom  he  took  to 
be  Murd  was  directly  in  front  of  the  speaker's 
stand.  His  hair  was  long  and  white  and  a  pair  of 
beady-black  eyes  gleamed  from  beneath  the  shaggy 
mass.  Suddroff  was  on  the  right,  his  ugly  scar 
looked  repulsive  and  hideous,  and  his  shoulders 
seemed  to  broaden  as  he  sat  beside  the  old  man. 
This  cicatrized  condition  of  his  face  was  his  great- 
est asset.  It  kept  him  in  good  standing,  and  many 
times,  when  addressing,  to  supply  emphasis,  he 
would  call  attention  to  it  with  the  remark:  "This 
is  what  it  cost  me  to  be  a  Pitdweller." 

Humanity  spoke  in  a  very  refined  way,  and 
words  seemed  to  enrapt  him.  She  explained  her 
great  scheme  to  bring  about  its  adoption.  Her 


226       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

proposition  was  for  the  Government  to  either  buy 
all  the  property  or  go  into  the  manufacturing-  of  all 
the  necessities  of  life  at  production  prices. 

Suddroff  was  the  second  speaker  and  arose  in  a 
manner  that  defied  opposition  and  the  law  of  au- 
thority. He  began :  "  You  may  call  me  an  anar- 
chist! Let  that  be  as  it  may.  I  favor  no  plan  for 
the  Pit  to  buy  from  the  Clouds  what  is  already 
their  own."  (Applause.)  "While  I  have  the  ut- 
most respect  for  our  young  lady  friend "  (more 
applause)  "  I  feel,  somehow,  that  she  is  only  a 
woman  and  expects  our  dream  to  materialize  like 
some  '  Pink  tea  '  affair." 

"  There  is  blood  in  Norton's  eye,"  he  continued. 
"  He  is  a  true  successor  to  the  Monster.  He  is 
every  inch  a  criminal.  Clevendor  II  has  the  same 
blood."  (Prolonged  applause,  and  Cleve  shivered.) 
"  To  those  of  you  who  expect  or  wait  for  the  rulers 
to  have  a  remorse  of  conscience,  I  cannot  offer 
words  of  encouragement.  I  have  seen  and  felt 
their  aversions.  I  have  been  ejected  from  their 
offices,  and  I  would  rather  meet  the  devil,  him- 
self, face  to  face,  and  expect  him  to  reform." 
(Vociferous  applause.)  "I  see  not  the  millennial 
dawn  ushered  in  on  the  white  wings  of  peace!  I 
can  only  see  the  bat  and  vampire  wings  in  the  skies, 
and  the  streets  of  our  cities  stained  in  your  blood, 
as  I  stand  in  the  center  of  this  battling  stage  of 
life's  never-ending  denouement!"  (Wild  applauses.) 

"  I  have  no  patience  with  those  of  you  who  be- 
lieve the  lamb  and  the  lion  may  lie  down  together 
without  the  lion  being  the  gainer.  Neither  do  I 
have  any  patience  with  you  who  expect  to  gain 
your  freedom  without  fighting  for  it.  If  the  thing 


THE   JAIL   DELIVERY  227 

is  not  worth  the  fight  we  might  as  well  give  it  up 
and  acknowledge  that  we  have  been  a  pack  of  fools. 
We  might  as  well  go  home  to  our  dirty  hovels  and 
be  contented  with  our  portion  of  this  Hell  on  Earth ! 
I  am  not  an  orator,"  he  went  on,  "  I  cannot  tickle 
your  ears  with  honeycombed  phrases.  I  came  to 
speak  words  I  hope  will  burn  in  your  minds  and 
make  you  think.  If  you  are  seeking  entertainment 
you  might  as  well  go,  for  it  is  likely  that  blood 
will  be  shed  here  to-night.  I  may  say  and  do  the 
very  thing  that  may  bring  about  this  very  condi- 
tion. 

He  paused,  surveyed  with  a  fiendish  and  wicked 
gleam  coming  from  his  savage  eyes.  "Am  I  not 
right  ?  "  he  shouted.  No  response.  Murd  twisted 
uneasily.  Humanity  lowered  at  him  in  disgust. 
"  You  are  cowards  !  Nothing  more !  "  he  growled 
madly.  "  You  want  me  to  do  all  the  fighting !  " 

"  Police !  Police ! "  greeted  this  remark,  and  in- 
stantly the  place  was  in  an  uproar.  Cleve  sat  still 
and  watched  the  scene  like  a  spectator.  A  burly 
Policeman  reached  the  stage ;  Suddroff  shoved 
him  off.  The  people  stampeded:  Suddroff,  Murd 
and  Humanity  alone  made  no  effort  to  escape. 
"  You  are  cowards ! "  he  heard  Suddroff  shout. 
"  Turn  on  these  American  Cossacks !  " 

In  the  chaos  he  was  not  heeded.  A  second 
policeman  gained  the  rostrum ;  Suddroff  struck 
him  between  the  eyes  and  he  fell  like  a  stuck  pig. 
The  police  circle  closed  upon  the  three  leaders. 
Cleve  managed  to  restrain  himself  until  he  saw 
Humanity  roughly  handled.  He  was  now  running 
frantically  towards  the  melee ;  but  before  he 
reached  it  he  saw  Murd  was  pursued  by  a  police- 


228       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

man  and  as  the  old  man  turned  to  defend  himself 
he  heard  simultaneous  reports  of  automatics  and 
both  went  to  the  floor.  As  he  bent  over  the  bleed- 
ing form  of  Murd  his  false  flowing  beard  had  left 
his  face  and  he  easily  perceived  the  German  fea- 
tures of  Herr  Binger.  He  reached  the  rostrum  to 
find  himself  surrounded,  but  he  fought  manfully 
—  but  manfully  to  no  avail.  It  suddenly  occurred 
to  him,  "  The  sins  of  the  father  will  be  visited  upon 
the  son.?  .  .  .  The  laws  his  father  had  created  to 
oppress  the  Pit  were  now  being  used  upon  his  son. 
Cleve  felt  the  stunning  effects  of  blows  from  many 
clubs,  and  became  dazed  and  sank  to  the  floor. 
When  he  regained  consciousness  his  environments 
were  that  of  a  jail  or  police-station.  The  grey  sky 
through  the  barred  windows  told  him  it  was  the 
cold  dawn  of  morning. 

He  was  a  bundle  of  aches  and  pains.  He  knew 
from  the  way  his  face  felt  it  must  be  twice  its 
normal  size.  Huge  bumps  adorned  his  head  and  as 
he  pulled  himself  to  a  sitting  position  he  felt  a 
thousand  knives  severing  his  spinal  column.  The 
dry  and  parched  feeling  of  his  tongue  and  his 
mouth  indicated  fever.  He  could  hear  the  tread 
of  the  regular  watch.  He  managed  to  get  near  the 
heavy  iron  door  and  tried  to  attract  the  guard's 
attention.  "  Hey,"  he  began,  "  would  you  give  a 
fellow  some  water  ?  " 

:<  There's  supposed  to  be  running  water  in 
there,"  the  guard  replied  and  resumed  his  tramp- 
tramp. 

"  I  want  some  water,  and  want  it  quick !  "  Cleve 
commanded. 

"  I'm  no  plumber,"  the  Watch  replied. 


THE  JAIL  DELIVERY  229 

Cleve  swore  to  himself  if  he  ever  got  out  he 
would  do  some  reformation  in  regard  to  prison 
deportment.  He  was  in  the  act  of  speaking  to  the 
guard  again  when  a  familiar  voice  from  the  cell 
next  to  his  interrupted  by  saying :  "  My  kind 
friend,  what  you  say  will  do  you  no  good.  You 
will  have  to  take  what  treatment  they  propose  to 
give  us." 

"  I  have  just  been  reminded  of  that  fact,"  he 
answered. 

"  It  will  be  best  for  you  to  remain  as  quiet  as 
possible.  I  am  sorry  for  you  because  of  your 
plight.  Last  night  you  acted  heroically  but  not 
wisely.  Who  ever  you  are,  I  think  I  have  found  a 
friend  and  supporter,  whom  it*  will  be  a  pleasure 
to  know  and  one  who  will  earn  a  name  for  himself 
in  the  great  coming  battles  of  liberty.  Whom  may 
I  have  the  pleasure  of  addressing  ?  " 

"  The  Adventurer,"  he  replied. 

"  Quite  romantic,"  she  said.  "  However,  I  will 
not  press  my  curiosity;  but,  I  will  venture  that 
your  last  night's  experience  did  not  smack  of  either 
romance  or  pleasure  ?  " 

"  No ;  "  he  answered  sadly.  "  It  was  my  begin- 
ning." 

"  I  was  aware  of  that,"  she  returned.  "  I  almost 
knew  it.  The  stranger  at  our  meetings  is  the  one 
that  is  always  caught.  The  police  are  after  the 
leader  and  the  unfamiliar  go  to  their  rescue;  and 
the  result  is,  he  or  they  find  themselves  in  jail  with 
the  speakers." 

"  Your  surmise  of  my  case  is  correct,"  he  said ; 
"  but  what  do  you  suppose  they  will  do  with  us  ?  " 

"  That  depends,"  she  answered.     "  If  we  were 


230      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

just  ordinary  bomb-throwers  we  would  be  locked 
up  for  disturbing  the  peace.  But,  since  we  are  in- 
telligent and  have  given  the  Clouds  trouble  it  may 
mean  a  life  imprisonment  or  even  worse.  You 
may  be  turned  loose,  but  for  Suddroff  and  myself 
I  do  not  know. 

"  You  see,"  she  continued,  trying  to  appear 
cheerful,  "  a  policeman  was  killed  last  night.  It 
was  Murd's  bullet  that  did  the  work;  but,  as  he 
was  also  killed,  Suddroff  and  I  will  be  tried  for 
the  crime;  and,  perhaps,  they  will  bring  you  in 
also." 

Cleve  shuddered.  He  trembled  with  fear  and 
horror.  He  cared  not  for  himself  but  for  Human- 
ity. "  Is  this  your  first  arrest  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  It  is,"  she  answered. 

Streaks  of  the  early  dawn  streamed  through  the 
barred  window.  With  them  came  an  increased 
noise  in  the  streets  and  many  people  were  gather- 
ing around  the  building.  From  the  location  of  ad- 
jacent structures  he  knew  they  were  confined  in 
the  county  jail.  Resuming  his  conversation  with 
Humanity  he  called  attention  to  this  fact. 

"  Yes,"  she  replied  ironically.  "  It  takes  a  strong 
place  to  hold  we  murderers." 

"What  of  the  noise?  and  why  so  many  people 
around  ?  "  he  asked. 

Just  then  the  voice  of  the  Daily  cried :  "  Extra ! 
Extra!" 

"Listen,"  she  cried,  "I  believe  the  Pit's  upri- 
sing!" 

The  tremendous  voice  came  in  clear  resonant 
tones :  "  To  the  people  of  the  city ;  to  the  Cave- 
men, Pitdwellers,  and  to  you  who  love  liberty, 


THE   JAIL   DELIVERY  231 

Listen!  The  Clevendor  Aerial  Works  are  now  be- 
ing destroyed  by  desperate  and  enraged  mobs.  The 
old  Clevendor  homet  Norton's  Aerialdome  are  but 
smouldering  ruins.  It  is  said  that  Cleve  Clevendor 
and  all  servants  in  the  old  home  have  been  mur- 
dered or  lost  their  lives  in  the  flames.  Now,  dear 
people,  the  last  sovereign  of  that  House  is  gone! 
Freedom  is  dawning!  The  cause  of  this  display 
of  vengeance  was  the  storming  of  the  Labor  Hall 
last  night.  The  veteran  Murd  murdered;  and 
Humanity,  Suddroff  and  another  gentleman's  ar- 
rest. 

"The  Pit  claims,"  the  voice  went  on,  "that 
Clevendor  created  the  '  Black  Dragons.'  While 
the  Daily  does  not  approve  of  the  arrest  of  these 
individuals  it  does  condemn  lawlessness  and  mur- 
der." As  the  voice  ceased  Cleve  heard  faint  sobs 
from  Humanity's  cell.  He,  too,  was  sad ;  but  glad 
he  had  made  the  adventure,  otherwise,  he  might 
have  perished  as  the  Daily  depicted.  A  great  lump 
came  in  his  throat;  tears  trickled  down  his  cheeks. 
Just  why  he  cried  he  could  not  tell;  but,  many 
things  that  were  dear  to  him  were  gone.  The 
Eagle,  his  room  in  the  old  home;  the  Aerial  land- 
ing and  all  were  no  more. 

"  I  knew  it !  I  warned  him  !  "  he  heard  Human- 
ity sob.  "  He  didn't  believe  me !  " 

"  I  judge  you  have  heard  some  very  sad  news?  " 
Cleve  asked. 

"  I  am  sorry  my  emotions  have  disturbed  you," 
she  replied.  "  I  suppose  it  was  a  foolish  notion  I 
wanted  to  gratify.  I  thought,  perhaps,  I  might 
make  a  man  out  of  a  friend  whom  I  have  just 
learned  is  dead.  There  was  no  love  of  the  sweet- 


232       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

heart  kind ;  only  for  the  sake  of  humanity  did  I  try 
to  save  him.  His  brain  was  most  too  small,  I 
think;  and  what  has  happened  is  for  the  best." 

Cleve  fell  back  as  if  she  had  hit  him ;  and  it  was 
a  good  thing  for  either  of  them  that  they  could  not 
see  each  others'  faces.  He  vowed  some  day  he,  at 
least,  would  rise  to  her  level. 

"  Wonder  where  Suddroff  is  ?  "  he  asked,  wish- 
ing to  change  the  subject. 

"  His  cell  is  further  down,"  she  answered.  "  He 
was  unruly  and,  of  course,  his  punishment  will  be 
greater.  I  heard  a  noise  from  his  cell  a  few  times 
during  the  night  and  I  knew  some  of  the  demons 
who  were  felled  by  his  blows  were  seeking  revenge. 
Poor  old  Suddroff  has  paid  dearly." 

Cleve  withheld  the  many  curses  that  surged  to 
his  trembling  lips.  "  I  guess  it  was  good  for  me 
that  I  was  unconscious  before  I  was  brought  here, 
otherwise  they  would  have  to  do  the  same  thing  to 
me." 

"  They  knew  you  were  no  leader ;  but  you  put 
several  of  them  down,  and  they  brought  you  along 
to  punish  by  imprisonment.  I  am  to  be  doubly 
tried,"  she  went  on.  "  It  is  intimated  that  I  have 
captured  the  heart  of  the  young  Octopus,  and  this 
young  man  was  to  marry  the  daughter  of  King 
Norton.  I  was  accused  of  breaking  up  the  match. 
All  grew  out  of  me  congratulating  him  the  day  he 
won  the  International  Cup.  He  caused  me  to  win 
a  great  deal  of  money,  that  was  all.  I  fed  the 
starving  with  that  money  and,  thereby,  I  gained 
more  prominence.  My  flight  in  the  political  sky 
has  been  rather  meteoric  —  " 

"  And  no  doubt,"  put  in  Cleve,  "  you  will  yet  go 


THE   JAIL  DELIVERY  233 

higher  in  the  people's  favor  and  in  your  works, 
too." 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said. 

"  I  was  at  Grand  Central  on  the  day  of  the 
Meet,"  he  continued,  "  and  I  also  witnessed  the 
jealousy  of  several  women  whom  you  did  not  men- 
tion ;  and  I  will  say,  further,  you  were  the  mate- 
rial cause  that  hastened  the  death  of  Clevendor  I." 

"  Your  knowledge  of  people  in  high  places  leads 
me  to  believe  you  are  not  a  Pitdweller,  and  it  is 
very  remarkable  that  you  are  where  you  are;  how- 
ever, as  you  have  said  you  were  an  adventurer,  I 
can  only  judge  by  that  you  did  not  want  to  tell 
your  real  name.  I  know  it  is  very  natural  for  one 
not  to  have  any  human  heart  in  this  commercial 
age,  and  I  know  when  a  person  wants  to  seek  the 
Pit  he  or  she  must  be  in  disguise.  You  are  a  seeker 
after  sociological  truths  and  I  suppose  that  chance 
or  destiny  has  brought  us  together." 

"  Your  suppositions  are  quite  right,"  he  returned. 
"  I  am  all  you  have  described  and  more.  I  left  the 
higher  world  to  explore  the  underworld.  It  has 
been  the  dream  of  my  youth  to  know  what  kind  of 
creatures  dwelt  in  these  dark  alleys.  I  had  the 
desire,  and  the  opportunity  came  yesterday.  Last 
night  found  me  in  the  Hall,  and  now  you  see  what 
has  happened  to  me." 

"  I  agree  with  you,"  she  laughed.  "  Your  intro- 
duction has  not  been  very  pleasant ;  however,  down 
here  you  receive  your  knowledge  of  social  condi- 
tions by  blows  and  prisons.  You  have  started 
right."  ' 

Cleve  was  still  suffering  from  the  many  blows. 
Humanity  had  not  been  hurt.  Poor  old  Suddroff, 


234       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

thought  Cleve,  had  suffered  enough,  and  had  passed 
the  night  akin  to  torment.  With  the  rays  of  light 
came  a  shift  of  guards.  The  second  watchman,  to 
them,  was  as  bad  as  the  first.  Breakfast  was 
served,  but  Cleve  longed  for  an  appetite.  He  felt  as 
though  he  would  never  eat  again ;  this  sensual  feel- 
ing lay  dormant  and  very  unresponsive.  Had  he 
more  water  he  would  have  consumed  it  with  his 
meal  with  great  gulps. 

Poor  Humanity,  he  wondered  if  she  fared  the 
same.  He  truly  felt  sorry  for  her. 

Cleve,  after  looking  over  the  food  and  finding 
nothing  he  wanted,  and  consuming  the  one  glass  of 
water  and  cup  of  coffee,  said :  "  Bring  me  some 
more  water  to  drink  and  some  to  bathe  my  face  and 
hands." 

"  I'm  not  a  water-boy,"  growled  the  guard. 
"  This  is  not  a  bathing  establishment.  If  the  water 
connection  in  your  cell  is  out  of  commission,  you'll 
have  to  make  it  the  best  you  can.  I'm  not  a 
Plumber  or  a  water-boy." 

Cleve  suppressed  his  outraged  feelings,  but  the 
desire  was  strong  to  clutch  the  beast's  throat  and 
choke  him  till  his  form  was  lifeless. 

"  Are  there  any  other  prisoners  receiving  this 
same  treatment  ?  "  Cleve  questioned. 

"  Sure.     All  Pitdwellers  do,"  he  replied. 

Again  his  thoughts  ran  riot.  He  would  gladly 
have  given  his  life  to  kill  him  at  one  blow,  pro- 
vided, he  would  not  make  it  worse  for  Humanity. 
"  For  the  sake  of  a  human  principle,"  he  cried, 
"  man !  beast !  who,  or  whatever  you  are,  bring  me 
some  more  water !  " 


THE   JAIL   DELIVERY  235 

"  I've  followed  my  instructions,"  the  watch  re- 
plied and  moved  on  to  Humanity's  cell. 

"  Youse  sure  a  pretty  woman,"  he  said.  "  I 
would  like  to  put  my  arms  around  youse." 

"  My  God !  "  Cleve  cried,  as  he  heard  the  key  in 
the  lock  of  her  cell  door  turn.  Humanity 
screamed ;  he  could  stand  it  no  longer.  He  rushed 
to  the  window  and  with  all  the  voice  he  could  mus- 
ter he  cried  to  the  thick  populace.  His  appeal  was 
caught  up  by  the  reflectorscopephones  and  echoed 
up  and  down  the  great  thoroughfares.  High  up 
into  the  air  it  re-echoed  and  revoiced  until  almost 
instantly  the  world  knew  what  was  about  to  take 
place  in  the  barred  prison. 

Suddenly  that  ever  vigilant  voice  began  its  belch- 
ing words:  "  Friends,"  it  began,  "Humanity,  the 
Joan  of  our  movement,  is  now  being  sacrificed  upon 
the  altar  of  savagery !  She  is  now  being  embraced 
by  the  fiendish  defenders  of  this  damnable  system ! 
In  the  name  of  God,  in  the  name  of  justice,  in  her 
name  !  Go !  —  go  to  her  aid  !  " 

Cleve  heard  the  door  slam  and  Humanity's 
pathetic  "  Thank  God !  You  have  saved  me !  " 
The  burly  watch  ran  away. 

The  guards  were  now  running  up  and  down  the 
hall  in  vain  effort  to  escape.  The  cries  of  the 
people  grew  louder  and  louder,  and  he  heard  ex- 
plosions and  surmised  that  the  jail  defenders  were 
bombing  the  Pitdwellers.  The  crowds  grew  larger 
and  seemed  to  be  ignorant  of  danger.  They  were 
bent  on  storming  the  jail.  From  his  barred  win- 
dow he  saw  the  people  run,  and  immediately  there 
followed  a  deafening  report.  A  deep  rumbling, 
as  if  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  seemed  to 


236       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

make  the  ground  in  front  of  the  jail  divide. 
Fragments  of  dirt  and  mortar  and  the  rattle  of 
fallen  debris  swept  hissingly  through  the  hall.  The 
huge  walls  seemed  to  vibrate  and  give  way  like 
some  mighty  Titan  was  being  overcome  by  a 
stronger  foe.  In  the  moment  of  intermission  Cleve 
thought  he  saw  the  form  of  Sir  Wilbro  Dockins 
directing  a  dynamite  squad  of  Pitdwellers.  His 
head  was  bandaged  as  if  he  had  received  a  wound. 
In  his  hand  he  held  a  stick  which  he  used  as  though 
it  were  a  sword.  His  corps  were  pushing  some 
huge  instrument  towards  the  Bastile.  The  crowd 
cheered  their  efforts.  A  second  lull,  then  this  ter- 
rible engine  of  destruction  went  off,  followed  by 
a  deafening  detonation  and  it  in  turn  was  succeeded 
by  a  thundering  earthly  roar.  The  stone  flooring 
of  the  cells  rose  and  fell  like  the  deck  of  a  Mer- 
chant Marine  riding  the  angry  waves.  A  mon- 
strous seismic  disturbance  appeared  to  be  taking 
place.  The  air  came  through  the  prison  chambers 
like  a  raging  tornado.  Small  particles  beat  the 
prisoners'  faces  with  stinging  effect.  The  fortress 
oscillated  like  a  string  in  a  gigantic  piano,  struck 
by  a  Titan  musician,  and  the  dampers  failed  to 
stop  the  doleful  sound  as  it  echoed  and  resounded 
over  the  city. 

Prolonged  applause  from  the  people,  and  the 
guards  were  panic  stricken  in  the  halls  and  passage- 
ways. The  darkness  and  confusion  cleared.  The 
explosion  had  torn  away  the  fagade  of  the  building. 

"  That  must  have  been  a  powerful  explosion/' 
he  heard  Humanity  say.  "  Everything  is  so  light 
now  since  the  front  has  been  demolished." 

"  I   thought   so,"   said  Cleve.     "  I   can't   see  as 


THE   JAIL   DELIVERY  237 

well  from  here.  You  had  better  stay  close  in  to 
avoid  flying  bullets  and  bombs.  These  demons 
have  placed  some  with  time  fuse,  but  I  think  these 
doors  are  strong  enough  to  protect  us." 

Immediately  a  bomb  burst,  followed  in  quick 
succession  by  others.  The  air  filled  with  dust  and 
flying  particles  which  beat  against  the  doors. 
They  had  taken  the  precaution  to  lay  flat  on  the 
floor,  and  they  were  not  injured.  The  steel  doors 
were  now  jarred  from  their  fastenings  and  they 
were  now  at  liberty.  A  torrent  of  bullets  rained 
through  the  hall  in  defense  of  the  attempt  to  rescue 
Humanity  and  other  prisoners.  The  firing  had 
partly  ceased  when  she  spoke :  "  I  must  go  out  and 
let  the  people  see  me.  They  want  to  know  if  I'm 
alive." 

"A  good  idea,"  he  returned.  "There's  little 
danger  now ;  the  guard's  ammunition  is  exhausted, 
and  I  think  we  will  have  very  little  trouble  in  leav- 
ing." 

"  I  am  ready,"  she  said,  "  but  don't  you  think  we 
had  better  see  about  Suddroff?  We  must  not 
leave  him  here." 

"  That's  true,"  he  replied,  "  I'll  try  to  find  him. 
You  say  he  is  or  was  about  four  doors  below  ?  " 

Humanity  assented,  and  he  ventured  out  and 
crawled  to  the  fourth  cell.  He  called  to  Suddroff; 
no  response.  He  tried  the  door;  it  was  locked. 
He  peered  through  the  opening  and  saw  him  on  the 
floor.  He  identified  him  by  the  scar.  He  was  not 
dead,  but  unconscious.  His  face  was  swollen, 
bruised  and  bloody.  The  guards  had  pounded  him 
as  she  had  said. 


238       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"Did  you  find  him?"  she  asked  when  he  re- 
turned. 

'•<  Yes  —  "  he  faltered. 

"  Dead  ?  "  she  whimpered  with  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"  No,"  he  answered,  "  but  beaten  to  a  pulp." 

Her  cheeks  were  colorless  and  she  suffered  great 
pain.  "  The  Clouds  will  pay  for  this  in  their  own 
blood.  The  Pit  must  know  this.  Come!  the 
people  .are  calling  us." 

But  on  the  outside  they  found  that  the  "  Black 
Dragons "  maintained  an  aggressive  front  that 
nothing  could  move  or  intimidate. 

"  It's  no  use,"  he  said,  "  this  patrol  makes  escape 
impossible. 

"  See !  "  he  continued,  "  they  have  already  taken 
some  prisoners.  Look  at  that  huddled  circle;  they 
look  as  though  they  had  been  or  are  inmates  of 
this  place." 

"  True,"  she  responded. 

All  around  were  scattered  bodies ;  the  fruits  of 
pestilent  war.  On  both  sides  of  the  streets  were 
piles  of  human  forms  ready  to  be  cremated.  Blood 
flowed  in  little  rivulets  to  the  ditches  and  gutters. 
It  was  a  sickly  sight,  and  Cleve  turned  a  discour- 
aged face  to  her,  saying :  "  We  had  as  well  go 
back ;  it's  all  off." 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

THE   TRIAL 

THE  court  room  was  crowded.  People  pushed 
and  elbowed  for  places  of  advantage  in  the  big 
hall  of  justice.  Pioneers  said  the  throng  "  was  a 
record  breaker."  The  furniture,  the  judge's  desk 
and  the  bar  appeared  to  frown  in  all  its  majestic 
supremacy  at  the  belligerents  who  had  so  boldly 
outraged  its  sanctuary. 

It  had  been  proclaimed  that  the  great  labor 
leaders  would  be  tried  for  murder. 

People  came  either  from  morbid  curiosity  or 
deeply  interested  motives.  It  was  a  grave  situa- 
tion; a  class  battle  pure  and  simple.  The  Clouds 
arrayed  against  the  Pit.  The  Pit  leaders  refused 
to  be  represented  at  the  bar;  they  had  refused 
counsel  on  the  grounds  that  they  were  convicted 
before  being  tried,  and  that  the  whole  proceedings 
were  a  prearranged,  concocted  affair  to  railroad 
them  to  the  electric  chair.  They  even  refused  to 
take  the  stand  in  their  own  behalf ;  they  said  they 
were  "  innocent,"  and  that  the  Clouds'  justice  was 
nothing  less  than  a  farce.  A  man  of  the  Pit  had 
been  murdered  on  the  same  night  but  no  case  had 
been  made  of  it. 

The  Daily  Labor  had  openely  declared  that  it  was 
a  "  concerted  scheme,"  and  it  was  the  intention  of 


240       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

Norton  during-  the  few  hours  the  Pit  stormed  the 
jail,  some  few  weeks  ago,  to  put  the  Pit  leaders 
out  of  the  way  before  they  could  be  rescued.  To 
this  the  Pit  had  gotten  wise  and  prevented  his  plans 
and  now  as  a  last  resort  they  were  to  be  tried. 
The  heroes  would  go  to  the  court  and  show 
their  contempt  by  remaining  silent.  If  they  were 
declared  guilty  the  Pit  would  rise  in  one  grand 
unit  of  revolt  and  would  pursue  or  be  pursued  to 
the  damnable  end  of  extermination. 

A  formidable  patrol  formed  a  barrier  between 
the  spectators  and  the  court  officials.  Every  pre- 
caution to  prevent  any  possible  attempt  at  rescue 
was  made.  The  prisoners  were  held  secure  in  a  big 
steel  cage  in  the  room. 

Some  few  days  previous  Cleve  had  been  startled 
by  the  announcement  that  Greyhouse  and  Marion 
had  been  married  secretly  in  the  music  room  of  the 
Hotel  Marion.  He  almost  doubted  his  existence; 
he  aroused  himself  several  times  to  see  if  he  were 
not  dreaming.  The  Evening  News  was  telling  the 
truth  and  the  strangest  part  of  it  all  was  her  parents 
did  not  object.  They  considered  it  all  quite  proper 
and  were  now  making  purchase  for  a  handsome 
suite  for  their  distinguished  son-in-law.  Cleve 
clinched  his  fists;  he  was  fighting  mad.  He  arose 
to  go  to  the  hotel  and  investigate,  but  the  iron  door 
of  fate  confronted  him,  and  with  a  grim  smile  he 
returned  and  sat  upon  the  edge  of  his  bed. 

Newman  was  right,  after  all,  he  mused.  She  did 
not  love  him ;  his  money  was  all  she  was  after. 
Now,  that  her  father  had  obtained  it  by  his  sup- 
posed death  she  was  free  to  marry  whom  she 
pleased.  His  father  had  made  provision  that  in  the 


THE  TRIAL  241 

event  of  his  death  his  property  should  be  inherited 
by  Norton.  He  knew  this.  Norton  now  controlled 
the  courts  and  every  power  through  which  he  could 
possibly  regain  his  fortune,  and  Cleve  now  could 
see  himself  incarcerated  in  some  madhouse  for  pre- 
tending to  be  the  son  and  heir  apparent  to  the 
throne.  No !  he  could  never  do  it  now,  he  must 
wait  for  some  other  opportune  time  to  strike! 

As  Cleve  raised  his  heavy  eyes  he  chanced  to  see 
Norton,  Greyhouse  and  Marion  entering  the  room 
from  the  secret  passage.  He  knew  his  eyes  flashed, 
and  he  could  feel  the  situation  growing  more  tense 
as  they  made  their  way  and  took  seats  just  behind 
him.  His  face  was  still  bruised  beyond  recogni- 
tion. Humanity  looked  in  their  direction,  but  gave 
no  visible  sign  of  interest.  Suddroff  glanced,  too, 
but  his  eyes  resumed  their  cold  stare  as  he  encount- 
ered his  arch  enemy.  He  was  still  in  a  stupor, 
still  stunned  by  the  terrible  infliction. 

The  judge  nervously  pulled  a  few  papers  from 
his  desk  and  looking  at  the  State's  attorney,  said : 
"  I  find  the  defense  refuses  to  have  counsel." 

"  Your  Honor,  you  are  right/5  replied  the  lawyer. 

A  deep  hush  fell  upon  the  vast  audience,  only 
audible  by  sounds  of  the  continual  hubbub  of  excite- 
ment on  the  outside.  Near  the  front  were  many 
Pit  leaders  and  sympathizers,  while  directly  behind 
the  pirsoners'  cage  were  seated  Senators  Dawson, 
Clark  and  Mr.  James  and  a  number  of  prominent 
persons.  These  people  composed  and  made  up  the 
Norton  circle  and  seemed  to  regard  the  proceedings 
with  some  degree  of  uneasiness. 

The  first  twelve  men  out  of  a  special  venire  of 
five  hundred  had  been  examined  and  passed  into 


242       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

the  jury  box  unchallenged.  The  clerk  read  the 
charge,  "  State  vs.  Humanity,  Suddroff  and  John 
Roberts." 

"Guilty,  or  not  guilty?"  queried  the  judge. 

No  response  from  the  cage  —  they  were  silent  — 
the  judge  grew  agitated. 

At  this  juncture,  a  towering,  stately  form  arose 
and  stood  before  the  bar.  "  Your  honor,  sir,"  he 
began,  "  I  offer  my  service  as  a  lawyer  and  not  as 
an  official  in  behalf  of  these  prisoners." 

"  Very  well,"  replied  the  judge,  "  let  the  case  be- 
gin." 

Great  cheering  came  from  the  audience.  The 
voice  of  the  Daily  took  up  the  echo  and  reiterated 
in  words  the  scene  before  the  court :  "  The  case  has 
begun,"  the  voice  cried,  "  and  Mr.  Greyhouse  (the 
mayor  and  son-in-law  of  Norton)  has  offered  him- 
self to  defend  the  prisoners  without  fee  or  com- 
pensation." 

The  judge  faced  the  people  and  demanded  order, 
saying :  "  I  mean  to  try  this  case  according  to  the 
law  and  evidence."  (Hissing  and  cat-calls  greeted 
the  remark.)  'The  case  shall  begin,"  he  repeated, 
surveying  the  assembly  in  an  assumed  attempt  at 
defiance. 

Greyhouse's  action  had  to  some  extent  stemmed 
the  tide  of  sentiment  and  placed  many  bitter  ones  in 
a  doubtful  state  as  to  the  guilt  or  innocence.  Dur- 
ing the  preliminaries  he  had  sat  with  his  knees 
crossed  and  maintained  that  stoical  indifference 
characteristic  of  the  man  of  affairs,  and  seemed  to 
regard  the  whole  thing  as  a  melodramatic  farce. 

Cleve  was  perplexed  beyond  comprehension. 
He  could  see  that  Marion  was  vexed;  even  the 


THE   TRIAL  243 

heavy  scowl  of  Norton's  showed  to  a  great  degree. 
The  corps  of  distinguished  men  in  the  "  golden 
circle  "  looked  their  chagrin.  The  Mayor  sat  still 
and  determined;  he  looked  as  though,  however, 
he  was  acting  against  the  wishes  of  some  out- 
side force.  Cleve's  deep  bitterness  for  him  did  not 
melt;  he  could  not  trust  him,  and  a  man  without 
this  element  he  could  not  consider.  No  call  of  jus- 
tice prompted  Greyhouse's  move;  he  could  not 
help  but  feel  that  some  sinister  motive  was  behind 
it. 

The  first  witness  to  be  questioned  was  a  big 
burly  Policeman. 

"Your  name?"  asked  the  attorney. 

"  J.  H.  Johnson,"  the  witness  replied. 

"  What  is  your  business  ?  " 

"  Policeman,"  he  said,  as  if  proud  of  his  job. 

"  Mr.  Johnson,  you  were  at  a  labor  meeting  on 
the  night  of  June  sixteenth  in  Murder's  row?  " 

"  I  was." 

"  Did  any  disturbance  happen  that  night  ?  " 

"Yes,  sir." 

:(  Tell  the  jury  what  kind  of  trouble  it  was." 

"  It  was  one  of  those  Pitdweller's  disturbances." 

"  Rough  house,"  the  prosecutor  suggested. 

"  You  can  call  it  that." 

"  Do  you  know  these  prisoners  ?  " 

"  I  saw  them  there." 

"You  are  sure?" 

"  Yes." 

"Did  a  Policeman  get  killed  that  night?" 

"  Yes." 

"  You  know  he  was  killed  there  ?  " 

"  Sure." 


244       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"Was  his  name  W.  L.  Jenkins?" 

"  It  was." 

"  You  know  he  was  the  man,  and  was  killed  in 
the  meeting?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Do  you  know  who  killed  him  ?  " 

"I  do." 

"  Can  you  point  out  the  murderer  among  these 
prisoners  ?  " 

"  Sure  I  can." 

Instantly  all  necks  were  craned  and  people  stood 
up  in  their  chairs  and  seats  to  get  a  glimpse  of  the 
famous  prisoners,  and  to  see  which  of  the  three  the 
Policeman  would  designate  as  the  guilty  one. 

"  The  woman  called  Humanity  fired  the  shot, 
and  these  other  two  prisoners  held  Mr.  Jenkins 
while  he  was  murdered,"  came  the  direct  words  of 
the  witness. 

Cries  of  "Outrage!  Black  lies!"  greeted  the 
witness.  Humanity  stood  and  smiled  her  appre- 
ciation to  the  people.  The  crowrd  hissed  and  the 
judge  rapped  for  order,  exclaiming:  "Another 
contempt  of  court  and  I  will  clear  this  room.  You 
are  here  because  I  want  to  show  the  Pit  that  there 
is  justice  in  my  court  and  I  am  going  to  try  this 
case  according  to  the  law  and  evidence." 

The  second  and  third  witnesses  testified  word  for 
word  as  the  one  who  had  preceded  them.  Grey- 
ihouse  let  them  go,  as  he  had  the  first,  without  a 
question.  This  finished  the  State's  witnesses,  and 
as  the  defense  offered  no  witnesses  or  rebuttal 
testimony,  the  prosecuting  attorney  arose  to  argue 
before  the  jury.  His  plea  was  a  butchered 
harangue  of  English  purported  to  stir  the  feelings 


THE   TRIAL  245 

of  class  hatred  without  a  semblance  of  argument 
to  the  case. 

As  he  resumed  his  seat  Greyhouse's  majestic 
form  rose  towering  in  its  intellectual  prestige  and 
with  that  firm  and  defiant  manner  born  of  a  leader, 
he  began:  "This,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  within  it- 
self is  the  most  wantingly  absurd  case  imaginable. 
It  is  lacking  in  all  of  its  requirements;  a  manu- 
factured case,"  he  said.  "The  State  has  been 
forced  to  institute  this  not  because  the  State  be- 
lieves that  these  prisoners  are  or  were  guilty,  but 
because  there's  one  man  that  wants  them  murdered. 
That's  the  reason,  gentlemen  of  the  jury.  A  Pit- 
dweller  was  killed  at  this  same  meeting,  and  it  has 
not  been  mentioned.  No  case  has  been  made  of  it. 
Why?  Because  it  was  the  Clouds'  bullet  that  did 
the  work  —  that's  why  it  escaped  their  notice !  An- 
other thing  that  makes  this  case  all  the  more  ab- 
surd is,  that  you  are  all  Clouddwellers  to  try  poor 
Pit  prisoners!  Do  you  think  there  is  any  justice 
in  that?  Where  is  the  precedent?  The  criterion? 
It's  a  farce!  This  and  these  prisoners  are  inno- 
cent. They  are  as  innocent  as  new  born  babes. 
And  you  know  it!  Though,  Pitdwellers  they  may 
be,  that  should  not  make  any  difference  to  reason- 
able men.  It  has  never  been  proven  that  this 
woman  or  prisoners  had  pistols  at  that  meeting. 
All  the  evidence  you  have  is  that  this  Policeman 
said  she  killed  one  of  their  rtumber.  Is  not  that 
enough  to  make  any  self-respecting  person  blush? 
To  think  these  inhumans  could  be  given  credence 
or  relied  upon  in  this  enlightened  age  is  preposter- 
ous. A  revolting  thing  and  an  insult  to  your  in- 
telligence. If  you  place  capital  punishment  on  these 


246       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

prisoners,  and  they  are  murdered  by  this  farce 
court,  I  can  but  see  the  inevitable.  Some  great 
indescribable  something  is  certain  to  befall  this 
nation.  I  am  not  —  " 

A  terrible  explosion  or  some  extraordinary  fear- 
ful noise  that  sounded  like  the  firing1  of  many 
thousand  cannons  interrupted  Greyhouse :  "  You 
hear  it !  "  he  cried. 

In  the  jury  box  were  twelve  frightened  faces; 
the  audience  cheered.  The  judge  turned  an 
anxious  look  to  the  crowded  room  and  said :  "  An- 
other demonstration  like  that  and  I  will  send  my 
words  on  the  points  of  bayonets." 

When  the  excitement  subsided  Greyhouse  con- 
tinued :  "  I  hear  the  call ;  I  hear  the  voice  of  the 
law  —  the  court  —  the  jury  of  last  resort  (the 
people).  That  voice  says  this  woman  and  pris- 
oners are  innocent.  What  will  this  jury  say?" 
he  paused,  from  the  windows  he  could  see  the  air 
was  dense  with  dust  and  all  could  hear  the  rattle 
of  some  small  fragments  on  the  roof  of  the  room. 
The  huge  place  seemed  to  swing  like  a  pendulum 
in  a  big  clock.  A  deafening  roar  permeated  the 
atmosphere  and  the  Dailv's  voice  like  a  voice  "  cry- 
ing in  the  wilderness "  said :  "  A  black  shooting 
craft  came  out  of  the  sky  and  dropped  a  bomb  on 
the  Hotel  Marion  and  now  this  magnificent  struc- 
ture is  a  mass  of  smouldering  ruins." 

"  My  mother !  "  Cleve  heard  Marion  cry  above 
the  voice  of  the  judge  who  demanded  that  the  re- 
flectorscopephone  be  closed. 

Norton  was  now  deeply  affected.  Dawson, 
James  and  Clark  and  others  looked  uneasily 


THE   TRIAL  247 

towards  an  exit.  Greyhouse  maintained  a  cool  in- 
difference while  Marion  sobbed  audibly. 

"  As  the  judge  has  ordered  the  reflectorscope- 
phone  closed,"  said  Greyhouse  continuing,  "  gen- 
tlemen, who  knows  but  that  this  same  mysterious 
craft  is  at  this  moment  hovering  over  this  building 
ready  to  drop  one  or  more  of  its  destroying  bombs 
the  moment  this  jury  convicts  these  prisoners?" 

With  these  words  he  seated  himself  saying  to  the 
prosecution,  "  I  have  finished." 

The  attorney  refused  to  answer  or  to  rise  from 
his  seat.  He  seemed  to  be  dazed  and  paralyzed. 
Qeve  saw  a  mischievous  smile  pass  over  Human- 
ity's face.  The  jurymen  were  eyeing  each  other 
uneasily.  Greyhouse's  suggestion  that  the  court 
would  be  destroyed  appeared  to  affect  them  beyond 
expression. 

The  Clouddweller  judge  was  still  determined  to 
charge  the  jury,  but  the  dull  rumbling  continuing 
outside  seemed  to  strike  terror  to  all.  Officers, 
jurymen,  court  and  audience  adjourned  in  the  most 
chaotic  manner.  The  verdict  was  never  rendered. 
Greyhouse  went  over  to  the  cage  and  turned  the 
lock  and  the  prisoners  were  now  free.  Marion  was 
overwhelmed  with  fear.  Qeve  remembered  her 
vision  and  as  her  husband  moved  toward  her  he 
saw  the  powerful  fist  of  Norton  strike  him  full  in 
the  face.  The  Mayor  went  down  groaning  with 
agony.  Marion  uttered  an  ear-piercing  scream  and 
how  her  eyes  fastened  upon  him  as  he  felt  Hu- 
manity's hand  placed  on  his  shoulder.  He  was 
conscious  that  she  was  leading  him  towards  the 
door  while  Suddroff  followed.  No  one  had  the 
nerve  to  molest  them  or  stay  their  going. 


248       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Come !  "  she  said,  her  face  all  smiles,  "  they 
are  afraid  of  the  result.  They  know  not  what  to 
do.  Greyhouse  could  see  it  all.  This  unselfish  ac- 
tion of  his  will  be  rewarded." 

Cleve  was  unable  to  answer  and  like  Suddroff 
followed  in  mute  silence. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

THE   MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

OUTSIDE  a  special  car  was  provided  for  them; 
they  climbed  into  it  quickly.  Suddroff  was  still  in 
deep  thought,  and  appeared  as  if  the  strain  had 
been  so  much  as  to  almost  unbalance  his  reason. 
His  every  act  was  mechanical  and  without  interest. 
Thousands  greeted  them  as  the  Auto  moved  along 
the  streets.  A  great  army  of  Pitdwellers  instantly 
formed  and  marched  behind  their  car,  yelling  and 
giving  vent  to  their  glad  feelings.  It  seemed  to  be 
understood  that  a  great  demonstration  would  take 
place  in  the  Row. 

This  was  the  first  time  in  many  years  that  a  huge 
procession  had  been  allowed  to  proceed  unmolested 
by  the  "  Black  Dragons."  The  reason,  perhaps, 
was  that  the  father  of  the  city  (Norton)  was  admin- 
istering some  kind  of  punishment  to  the  Mayor.  The 
vigils  who  had  watched  the  Pit  in  good  faith,  and 
had  performed  their  duty  in  every  way,  knew  that 
there  were  some  kind  of  row  or  fight  on  at  head- 
quarters. Now  the  vigils  may  watch  in  vain  and 
tell  what  may  be  of  good  or  of  bad  conduct  on  the 
part  of  the  Pit,  but  to  whom  could  they  report? 
Greyhouse  had  defended  the  prisoners  of  the  Pit ! 
and  while  there  was  a  disagreement  at  the  city  hall 
there  would  also  be  a  jubilee  in  the  Row. 


250       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

At  last  the  machine  came  to  a  standstill  at  Hu- 
manity's home.  From  here  a  number  of  strong 
editorials  had  come  and  it  was  the  hub  of  all  opera- 
tions for  the  final  overthrow  of  the  Clouds'  rule. 

Cleve  found  himself  lionized.  He  was  proudly 
introduced  to  all  the  prominent  leaders  who  rushed 
forward  to  greet  them.  A  great  sea  of  faces  were 
before  him  and  the  cries  of  "  Speech !  Speech ! " 
were  heard  from  every  side.  He  acknowledged 
their  salutations  with  bows  and  smiles ;  but  this 
mild  recognition  failed  to  satisfy  the  throng  who 
had  gathered  to  hear  an  account  of  the  trial  and 
the  mysterious  knight.  Humanity  stood  on  the 
back  seat  of  the  Auto  as  she  had  on  former  occa- 
sions, and  said: 

"  Comrades,  you  have  no  idea  how  pleased  I  am 
to  be  with  you  again."  The  crowd  cheered,  and 
she  continued :  "  They  tried  to  make  martyrs  of  us, 
but  in  their  bloodthirsty  scheme,  Providence  pre- 
vented." Cries  of  "  You  are  right !  "  and  a  voice 
of  powerful  proportion  said :  "  God  indeed  has 
saved  our  Queen."  This  brought  forth  renewed 
applauses  and  Humanity  blushed  and  bowed  in  the 
direction  of  the  speaker.  "  I  suppose  you  are  speak- 
ing figuratively  and  not  literally,"  she  answered. 
(More  applause.) 

"  Kings  and  Queens,  my  comrades,  belong  not  to 
our  new  brotherhood  of  man.  I  am  glad  to  say  we 
have  reached  a  higher  plane  of  civilization.  We 
have  reached  a  rung  in  the  ladder  from  which  we 
can  now  see  the  light.  Kings  and  Queens  belong  to 
that  period  of  darkness  when  beasts  prowled  in 
human  forms  and  skins  —  to  that  age  when  men 
and  women  were  '  red  of  fang  and  tooth/ '' 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT  251 

(Laughter  and  wild  applause.)  "  Norton,"  she 
went  on,  "  belongs  to  that  civilization,  and  so  does 
every  Clouddweller  who  believes  in  the  present 
condition  of  things.  In  proof  of  what  I  say  I  wish 
to  point  out  that  they  have  gone  to  the  jungles  to 
get  their  intelligence  to  defend  the  principles  they 
believe  in.  They  have  turned  the  enforcement  of 
the  law  over  to  them,  showing  you  where  they  wish 
to  keep  society  to-day.  They  have  imported  thou- 
sands from  the  darkest  nooks  and  corners  of  the 
world ;  have  given  them  suffrage ;  they  have  prom- 
ised them  social  equality,  everything!  if  they  will 
but  help  to  perpetuate  this  beastly  system."  (Wild 
and  prolonged  cheering.) 

She  continued :  "  This  system  of  Government  is 
beastly,  friends,  because  it  is  defended  by  beasts. 
If  it  had  not  been  for  the  '  Mysterious  Knight/  I 
might  have  suffered  the  excruciating  ordeal  of  be- 
ing embraced  by  one  of  the  monsters."  (Vocifer- 
ous cheering  and  calls  for  the  "  Mysterious 
Knight.") 

"  The  Mysterious  Knight !  The  Mysterious 
Knight!"  cried  voices.  "Tell  us  about  him?" 

"  Comrades,"  she  besfan,  "  this  noble  Knight  is 
as  much  a  mystery  to  me  as  he  is  to  you.  How- 
ever, as  he  is  here  it  would  be  more  becoming  for 
him  to  tell  his  own  story,  but,  in  the  event  he  needs 
any  recommendation,  remember  I  stand  sponsor 
for  him."  (Applause  and  calls  for  the  Knight.) 
Humanity  paused  for  the  cheering  to  cease,  then 
resumed :  "  My  friends,  presently  the  Mysterious 
Knight  shall  speak  to  you."  Cleve  blushed  and 
groped  for  words  that  must  come  to  him  when  he 
should  speak. 


252       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  Fellow  citizens,"  she  continued,  "  if  I  had  lived 
in  those  old  Roman  days  —  and  been  as  barbarous ; 
if  I  had  been  with  Caesar  when  he  thrice  refused 
the  crown  from  the  politician  Mark  Anthony;  and 
had  I  known  the  Mysterious  Knight  as  I  now  know 
him,  I  would  have  said,  '  these  are  they  who  are 
even  greater  than  Caesar.'  "  (Applause  and  voices 
of  approval.)  "  On  June  the  i6th  our  noble  friend 
proved  himself  to  be  a  Caesar,  and  now,  my 
friends  and  co-workers,  I  take  great  pleasure  in  in- 
troducing your  modern  Caesar  who  will  also  refuse 
to  be  crowned."  (Prolonged  cheering.) 

Cleve  arose;  a  hush,  the  silence  of  death  fell 
over  the  vast  audience,  and  he  noticed  a  dark  scowl 
envelop  the  features  of  Suddroff.  It  was  evident 
'he  was  not  pleased.  While  Humanity  was  speak- 
ing, and  calls  were  emanating  from  the  throng  for 
Cleve,  not  one  time  did  he  hear  his  name  mentioned. 
He  had  sat  gloomily  on  the  front  seat  looking  at  the 
people  and  the  repeated  cries  for  this  man  who  was 
an  unknown  quantity  made  him  feel  all  the  more 
sullen.  This  man  who  had  never  been  identified 
with  the  movement  had  been  given  an  ovation ;  even 
Humanity  had  lauded  him  without  one  reference 
to  him.  His  grey  locks  had  succeeded  the  buoy- 
ancy of  youth;  he  had  grown  feeble  in  mind  and 
body.  No  wonder  he  envied  this  young  man ;  no 
wonder  every  cry  for  him  was  but  a  dagger  thrust 
deeper  into  his  bleeding  heart.  Before  Cleve  could 
utter  a  word  Suddroff  aroused  himself  and  began 
to  talk.  This  action  so  astonished  our  hero  that 
for  the  moment  his  wits  were  scattered  and  the  sea 
of  faces  were  but  a  blurred  mass.  His  tongue 
clove  to  the  roof  of  his  mouth  and  the  speech  he 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT  253 

had  corralled  came  not.  His  lips  refused  to  work, 
his  mouth  was  sealed  and  he  could  utter  no  sound. 
When  he  pulled  himself  together  Suddroff  was  say- 
ing: 

"  Comrades,  you  are  wrong."  A  storm  of  hisses 
greeted  him.  "  You  hiss !  "  he  continued,  "  you 
scaly  reptiles !  You  geese !  You  hiss  because  of 
your  malignity  and  simplicity.  You  know  not  what 
you  do/'  he  cried  amid  jeers  and  hisses.  "  Such 
as  you  crucified  the  Savior!"  ("Sit  down!  Sit 
down !  "  came  from  all  sides,  but  he  didn't  heed 
them  and  went  on)  :  "  You  call  for  this  person  as  if 
you  thought  he  were  made  of  Pitdweller  clay  and 
belonged  to  your  class.  You  simpletons !  He's  a 
Clouddweller  —  an  exploiter  —  he's  a  spy,  hired 
by  Norton !  " 

"  Proof  !    Proof !  "  demanded  the  crowd. 

"  Proof !    you  cry,"  challenged   Suddroff. 

"  I  can  prove  every  word,"  he  answered  de- 
fiantly. 

"We  believe  Humanity;  she  says  he's  all  right," 
shouted  a  voice. 

"  Humanity !  Who  is  this  woman  ?  She  may  be 
a  spy  as  well !  "  (Cries  of  shame  !  shame  !)  "  She 
came  to  the  Pit  with  millions  of  exploited  dollars ; 
she  has  been  a  Pitdweller  —  "  ( A  voice  interrupted 
him :  "  What's  the  matter,  old  man  ?  Are  you,  too, 
jealous?")  A  volley  of  laughter  followed  this  re- 
mark and  the  voice  went  on :  "  We  still  believe 
Humanity  and  will  take  her  word." 

Humanity  arose  and  looked  over  the  audience 
and  encountered  Suddroff  with  a  look  that  made 
'him  cower.  He  sat  down  and  gazed  at  Qeve  with 


254       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

malice  and  envy  written  in  every  line  of  his  coun- 
tenance. 

"  Friends,"  she  said,  "  I  am  glad  of  your  con- 
fidence. I  hope  you  will  never  rue  this  day  because 
of  it.  Suddroff  proves  by  his  rashness  that  he  is 
not  the  leader  of  our  cause  —  the  greatest  cause 
since  the  days  of  Christ.  I,  for  one,  am  ashamed 
that  he  would  use  his  power  to  prejudice  you 
against  a  noble  person.  And  as  for  his  allusions 
to  me,  it  is  for  you  to  say  whether  I  have  kept  the 
faith."  (Cheers  and  cries,  "You  have!") 

"  I,  for  one,"  she  continued,  "  regret  that  the 
movement  is  so  narrow,  or  composed  of  men  so 
narrow,  that  all  cannot  be  leaders."  (Applause.) 
"  I  would  rather  be  a  follower  in  the  ranks,  yea !  I 
would  prefer  to  be  an  humble  private,  free  to  take 
to  the  '  tall  timber '  at  the  first  smell  of  powder, 
and  perhaps  save  my  life  than  be  a  leader  marked 
for  execution.  I  would  rather  be  of  the  masses 
with  an  honest  record,  than  to  be  of  the  first,  a 
prisoner,  marching  between  a  defile  of  soldiers  to 
my  fatal  doom."  (Applause.)  "  Friends,  there  is 
much  truth  in  the  old  saying,  '  Heavy  is  the  head 
that  wears  a  crown/  That  is  one  of  the  reasons 
I  refused  to  be  made  a  Queen  a  moment  ago ;  even, 
if  a  friend  did  say  I  was  worthy,  I  simply  deny  it." 
(Laughter  and  applause.) 

While  Humanity  spoke,  Suddroff  remained  quiet, 
awaiting  an  opportunity.  After  she  had  exhausted 
a  flowery  laudation  of  Cleve's  bravery  at  the  jail 
and  his  action  on  the  night  of  June  i6th,  she 
paused.  Suddroff  arose  again,  looked  appealingly 
at  Humanity  as  the  crowd  began  to  jeer  and  cry, 
"  Sit  down  !  " 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT  255 

"  My  friends,"  she  said,  "  I  beg  of  you  to  restrain 
yourselves  and  listen  to  him.  He  looks  on  this 
movement  as  a  parent  does  its  child;  he  will  be- 
have and  I  believe  he  is  sincere  in  what  he  is  going 
to  say,  but,  of  course,  a  parent  is  sometimes 
jealous."  (Cheers.)  "Listen  to  his  accusations, 
whether  prompted  by  a  spirit  of  good  or  not." 

"  You  needn't  be  afraid,"  she  said  to  Cleve  as 
she  sat  down  amid  cheers.  "  I  believe  I  am  able  to 
protect  you."  Suddroff  surveyed  the  audience  in 
cold  contempt  and  shot  daggers  at  Qeve. 

"  Comrades,"  he  began,  "  I  believe  you  are  yet 
my  friends."  (Light  ripple  of  applause.)  "  I  know 
there  are  some  of  you  who  hate  me ;  I  can't  blame 
you,  it  is  natural.  Some  people  always  despise  a 
successful  man.  Some  even  scorn  their  Creator 
because  He  made  better  men  and  women  than  they 
could  ever  hope  to  be.  I  will  admit  that  I  have 
done  wrong  in  speaking  of  our  own  beautiful  Hu- 
manity so  uncomplimentary."  (Cheers.)  "  I  was 
prompted  by  a  spirit  of  madness.  Some  of  you  say 
I  was  jealous;  but  you  are  wrong.  My  friends, 
our  movement  is  about  to  be  led  by  a  person  in 
the  employment  of  Norton.  I  got  mad.  Wouldn't 
you?  Now,  don't  get  excited,  that  is  what  is  about 
to  happen  and  I  give  you  my  word  that  I  will  prove 
what  I  say.  I  was  informed  on  the  afternoon  of 
June  i6th,  that  this  person,  who  has  become  a 
Mysterious  person,  and  is  known  bv  the  name  of 
John  Roberts,  deposited  several  millions  in  one  of 
the  Clevendor-Norton  banks.  He  was  introduced  to 
Norton  and  after  receiving  his  instructions  came 
directly  to  our  meeting  and  put  up  a  very  hard  fight 
for  us.  We  understand  no  law  but  force  and  can't 


256       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

realize  that  a  man  out  in  merely  sociological  study 
would  do  this.  If  he  were  poor  I  would  say  he 
fought  for  liberty ;  but  he  is  rich  and  is  using  a 
ruse,  and  will  betray  us  to  the  enemy.  This  in- 
formation came  from  our  spy-system,  and  we  can't 
doubt  it." 

Cries  from  all  sides  rang  out :  "  Kill  the  spy ! 
Burn  him !  Suddroff  is  right !  Get  the  traitor !  " 
A  spasmodic  rush  was  made  toward  the  car.  Cleve 
knew  the  bloodthirsty  passions  of  the  mob  and  with 
Suddroff  the  leader,  his  life  would  be  of  but  so 
many  minutes.  Humanity  sprang  to  her  feet. 

"  Gentlemen !  "  she  cried,  "  I  couldn't  believe 
that  you  are  so  criminal !  Take  the  life  of  one  who 
has  come  from  above  to  make  you  as  free  as  him- 
self f  Comrades  —  " 

"  A  spy !  "  interrupted  a  voice.  "  We  know  you 
are  all  right;  we  love  vou,  but  we  can't  let  an  im- 
postor —  Come  on,  boys,  let's  make  short  work  of 
the  wretch ! " 

"  The  first  brute  that  puts  his  hand  on  him  will 
have  to  kill  me !  "  she  cried,  taking  a  position  in 
front  of  Cleve.  "  Let  him  speak.  This  man  will 
clear  everything !  " 

The  crowd  fell  back  and  Suddroff  jumped  up 
and  shouted :  "  Come  on,  boys !  Don't  stop  at  what 
that  woman  says  !  " 

The  fire  in  Cleve's  eyes  glared  in  magnificent 
flame  of  self-protection.  He  bounded  to  his  feet; 
grabbed  Suddroff  by  the  nape  of  the  neck  with  his 
left  hand  and  securely  fastening  the  other  in  a  con- 
venient place  just  north  of  his  thigh  he  pitched  the 
old  man  headlong  into  the  street.  "  There  goes  the 
biggest  coward  of  the  bunch ! "  he  exclaimed. 


THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT  257 

"  And  the  rest  of  you  are  not  much  better,  other- 
wise you  would  not  permit  this  system  of  Cloud- 
dweller  robbery!  I  say  you  are  cowards!  On  the 
night  of  the  raid  I  was  the  only  one  to  go  to  this 
kind-hearted  girl's  rescue.  But  when  several  thou- 
sand to  one  you  would  murder  to  gratify  the  ambi- 
tion of  a  cowardly  leader!  I  thought  you  were 
liberal  people,  but  I  find  that  you  care  more  for 
personal  ambitions.  You  cry  loud  for  the  down- 
fall of  Clevendor-Norton  &  Co.,  and  are  yourselves 
ten  times  more  criminal.  You  say  it's  the  system 
that  makes  you  do  this,  but  that's  the  cry  to  excuse 
your  baser  natures. 

"  I  am  a  Clouddweller,"  he  went  on,  "  and  '  have 
the  coin  '  —  lots  of  it.  The  babble  of  you  blather- 
skites that  I'm  an  employee  of  Norton's  gives  me  a 
sickly  pain.  A  spy!  How's  this,"  he  said,  hold- 
ing the  black  card  Humanity  had  given  him. 
"  Does  that  look  like  it?  when  it  is  dated  before 
June  1 6th ! "  he  shouted,  holding  the  card  aloft 
amid  vociferous  cheering.  "  I  am  your  New 
Knight,  too,  although  somewhat  mysterious,  be- 
cause I  came  from  obscurity  to  the  '  limelight.'  I 
heard  Humanity  —  she  gave  me  the  inspiration  for 
which  my  soul  cried.  Gentlemen,  I  am  honest,  but 
not  yet  converted;  I  am  free  to  admit  I  am  igno- 
rant, but  where  my  knowledge  falls  short  I  bring 
millions  to  further  the  cause.  Now,  if  you  wish 
to  destroy  the  opportunitv  of  securing  a  new  friend 
with  a  bag  of  gold  carry  out  your  dastardly  inten- 
tions of  a  moment  ago  and  you  will  have  accom- 
plished a  commission  for  which  Norton  will  shed 
tears  of  joy."  (Applause  and  cries  of  "We  are 
satisfied.") 


258      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

Humanity's  admiration  increased;  she  saw  in 
him  a  future  leader.  A  man  who  could  change  a 
mob,  crying  for  his  blood,  into  cheers  for  his  glory, 
was  indeed  great,  she  thought.  Instantly  she  was 
by  his  side  proclaiming  his  greatness,  and  with  a 
small  American  flag  waving  above  his  sandy  brow, 
and  wild  cheering  from  the  vast  throng,  made  a 
pretty  close  and  fitting  climax  to  the  dramatic 
scene. 


CHAPTER    XXIX 

THE   PHOTO   OF    KARL   

CLEVE  opened  his  eyes  on  a  new  day.  The  Daily 
was  still  echoing  how  it  happened  and  what  it  all 
concerned.  His  picture,  with  Humanity's  and 
Suddroff's,  had  been  shown  and  were  still  being 
shown  on  thousands  of  electrical  boards  with  gush- 
ing eulogies.  Cleve  was  now  before  the  world  not 
as  Mr.  Clevendor,  the  richest  man  in  all  the  world, 
but  as  John  Roberts,  a  Pitdweller. 

He  rubbed  his  drowsy  eyes  as  he  beheld  his  sur- 
roundings with  some  degree  of  interest.  He  had 
been  assigned  to  a  sumptuous  apartment.  Al- 
though one  thing  was  conspicuous  for  its  absence, 
no  servants  had  put  in  their  appearance  and  there 
was  no  call  bell  in  the  room.  He  had  become  ac- 
customed to  waiting  on  himself  while  in  prison,  so 
he  bounced  out  of  bed  and  began  making  his  toilet. 

The  evening  before  he  wondered  if  the  brilliant 
chamber  would  look  so  well  by  the  light  of  day. 
However,  dawn  had  found  him  enjoying  even  more 
the  place.  My  that  bed !  he  thought,  it  was  so  dif- 
ferent from  the  hard  prison  one.  When  he  retired 
for  the  night  it  seemed  to  unfold  and  he  was  con- 
scious of  entering  the  "  land  of  nod  "  and  travel- 
ing many  sleepy  miles  across  the  dream-land  sky 
before  he  reached  slumber-land.  He  felt  the  vital- 


260       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

izing  influence  of  this  deep  sleep  and  the  fresh  air 
had  stimulated  him  wonderfully.  After  his  cold 
plunge,  every  nerve,  every  tissue  and  fiber  thrilled 
in  one  perfect  strain  of  melody. 

Observing  himself  in  the  mirror,  the  dyed  hair 
had  made  no  perceptible  change;  had  his  impris- 
onment lasted  longer,  this  may  not  have  been  the 
case.  He  was  still  the  same  self-seeking  person. 
Yea!  to  be  this  person  had  cost  him  much  —  the 
woman  destiny  decreed  should  have  been  his  wife. 
He  wondered  if  he  truly  loved  Marion?  He  now 
doubted  it.  Perhaps,  if  he  had  never  met  Human- 
ity. He  blushed  as  he  thought  of  her.  But,  a 
friend  of  the  viper  —  Greyhouse !  What  was  there 
between  them  ?  Mistress  !  It  was  preposterous  — 
it  was  a  lie !  But,  she  must  explain  her  relations 
with  him. 

The  huge  mission  clock  told  the  hour  was  high 
noon  —  he  began  to  hurry  —  and  went  straightway 
to  the  library ;  here  he  had  bid  Humanity  "  good 
night."  He  entered;  no  one  was  in  sight.  He 
began  to  amuse  himself  by  turning  through  a  num- 
ber of  volumes  of  Greek  Classics ;  but,  before  he 
had  gone  far  his  attention  was  arrested  by  a  life- 
like painting  looking  down  at  him.  It  was  so  real 
it  startled  him.  The  small  beadlike  eyes  appeared 
to  regard  him  suspiciously,  and  he  felt  a  little  un- 
canny. It  was  the  likeness  of  some  great  departed 
soul.  The  eyes,  while  piercing,  were  kind  and 
sympathetic;  the  nose  aquiline  and  Jewish.  The 
dark  hair  and  Vandyke  beard,  with  patches  of  grey, 
showed  the  picture  had  been  made  in  the  prime  of 
middle  life.  The  blurred  inscription  below  read : 
"  Karl  — ,  the  enthroned  hope  of  millions." 


THE    PHOTO    OF    KARL  261 

"Karl  —  who?"  he  repeated  reflectively;  "who 
was  he  ?  "  He  could  not  call  to  mind  a  single  re- 
minder of  this  person.  A  writer,  a  musician,  an 
orator,  or  what?  He  looked  again  at  the  picture 
and  saw  the  heavy  brow  that  fell  straight  over  the 
eyes,  shielding  a  massive  brain  —  he  looked  into 
the  face  of  a  thinker,  a  student;  but  to  what  age 
and  what  great  cause  did  he  belong?  The  clothing 
looked  the  style  of  a  century  or  more  ago,  still  the 
general  expression  of  face  indicated  knowledge  far 
in  advance  of  his  day. 

He  concluded  he  was  some  famous  Pitdweller 
writer  whose  name  had  not  received  a  place  in 
Clouddwellers'  conversation.  "  A  great  soul,  Mr. 
Roberts,"  spoke  a  voice  that  had  always  thrilled 
him.  She  had  entered  from  a  side  door  and  no- 
ticed his  critical  observation  of  the  painting-. 

"  I  wasn't  aware  I  was  enjoying  your  company," 
he  replied. 

"  I  should  not  have  disturbed  you,"  she  answered. 

"  No  apologies,"  he  interposed,  "  I  was  trying 
to  figure  out  this  man." 

She  looked  at  him  in  that  frank  innocent  way, 
saying:  "Are  you  really  serious,  Mr.  Roberts?" 

"  Yes,  Miss  —  "  he  faltered. 

"  Humanity,"  she  supplied. 

"  Well,  Miss  Humanity,  I  acknowledge  my  ig- 
norance." 

"  What  Christ  gave  to  the  world  to  make  spirit- 
ually free,"  she  replied,  "  this  man  gave  to  make 
politically  free.  The  Savior  dealt  not  in  economics, 
but  proposed  a  new  system  of  morals  —  a  more 
thorough  understanding  of  man's  relation  to  God. 
This  man  opposed  or  proposed  a  religion.  He 


262      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

cared  not  for  personal  or  individual  desires  —  I 
suppose  I  am  boring-  you  ? "  she  asked  looking 
earnestly  into  his  face. 

"  No,  I  am  interested,"  he  answered. 

"  You  must  be  sadly  in  need  of  this  information. 
Think  of  making-  a  sociological  study  and  never 
having  heard  of  this  man,"  she  laughed. 

"  I  am  willing  to  learn  the  A.  B.  C/s  of  your 
wonderful  philosophy,"  he  said. 

"  You  will  learn,"  she  encouraged. 

"  Depends  on  who  teaches  me,"  he  ventured. 

"  Oh !    does  it  ?  "  she  arched  her  eyebrows. 

"  When  a  pupil  loves  the  teacher,  it  makes  a 
great  difference,"  he  queried. 

"  Phrase  it  to  read  like,  instead  of  love,"  she  sug- 
gested. 

"  Should  I  secure  you  I  would  never  change  it," 
he  fished. 

"  Stop !  This  is  going  a  little  too  far.  Two 
blonds  could  never  agree.  The  proposition  is  per- 
fectly hostile.  I  could  see  your  red  hair  and 
whiskers  in  my  dreams.  Your  eyes,  I  must  admit, 
remind  me  of  one  who  was  dear  to  me.  If  it  were 
not  for  them  I  would  not  waste  one  moment  here 
talking  to  you." 

"  I'm  glad  of  one  redeeming  feature,"  he  an- 
swered. "May  I  ask  you  who  they  remind  you 
of?" 

"  Remember,"  she  replied,  "  questions  are  not 
asked  concerning  one's  private  life.  The  public 
and  they  who  come  here  know  the  rules.  This 
place  is  at  the  disposal  of  those  who  come  and  go. 
Of  course,  I  have  my  private  apartment  and  you 
have  yours,  which  you  may  keep  as  long  as  you 


THE    PHOTO    OF    KARL  263 

desire.  The  rest  room,  where  every  game  known 
is  played,  is  free  to  all.  No  introductions  are  neces- 
sary here  —  we  are  all  friends.  In  the  discussion 
hall,  where  all  questions  pertaining  to  sociology  are 
debated,  you  will  find  much  matter  that  will  help  you 
in  your  study.  In  the  music  room  where  I  give 
concerts,  you  are  welcome  —  but,  of  course,  no  one 
is  compelled  to  listen,"  she  smiled. 

"  I  don't  believe  there  is  any  power  that  could 
keep  me  out  of  there  when  you  play,"  he  answered. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said,  making  a  nice  little  bow. 

"  This  place  is  a  regular  charm  —  it's  a  fetich 
place,"  he  continued.  "  I  am  sure  I'll  be  loath  to 
leave  here.  Where  are  the  signs,  fines  for  violation 
of  your  rules  ?  " 

She  laughed :  "  When  you  came  from  your  high 
position  you  thought  you  would  find  us  all  animals 
here.  Signs  and  printed  rules  are  for  people  who 
are  not  civilized  yet !  " 

"  I  object !  "  he  cried.     "  I'm  no  animal !  " 

"  You  were  hit  either  hard  or  you  are  ashamed 
to  admit  the  truth,"  she  returned  still  laughing. 
"  This  place  is  free  —  free  to  be  used  as  it  is  seen 
fit.  If  the  guests  are  ill-bred  enough  to  deface  the 
walls  and  furniture,  that  is  their  business.  While 
I  gave  it  all  to  them  I  would  not  raise  one  finger 
in  protest  at  its  destruction.  I  see  you  marvel  and 
don't  understand.  The  people  will  not  destroy 
what  is  their  own.  Now  if  I  have  hurt  your  feel- 
ings," she  continued,  changing  in  tone,  "  I  ask  you 
to  forgive  me  ?  " 

"  Certainly,"  he  answered. 

"And  you  don't  feel  hurt?"  she  asked. 

"  No ;   not  a  bit,"  he  replied. 


264       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  I  am  sorry,"  she  said,  turning  to  look  at  the 
painting. 

"  Why  should  you  wish  to  do  this  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  To  make  you  think,"  she  answered,  facing  him.' 
"  You  have  a  great  thinking  machine,  but  the  gear- 
ing is  sadly  off.  It  is  atrophied.  Your  speech  in 
your  own  defense  was  wonderful ;  it  raised  you  in 
my  estimation.  I  thought  I  saw  the  personality  of 
another;  I  thought  I  heard  his  voice!  But  —  " 

"  Humanity !  "  he  cried  unable  to  restrain  him- 
self. 

She  turned  her  face  from  him. 

"  Humanity,  do  you !  "  he  cried  again,  and  started 
to  take  her  in  his  arms  and  press  her  to  his  aching 
heart,  but  she  quickly  vanished. 


CHAPTER   XXX 

CLEVE   MEETS    SIR   WILBRO   DOCKINS   AGAIN 

IT  had  been  several  long-  days  since  Cleve  had 
seen  Humanity  in  the  library  and  he  had  explored 
every  room  in  which  the  guests  were  free  to  roam 
without  one  sight  of  her.  He  was  afraid  to  ask,  but 
his  interest  got  the  better  hand  of  his  judgment  and 
he  addressed  people  whom  he  thought  most  likely 
to  know.  They  could  or  would  not  tell  him  what 
he  wanted  to  know. 

He  had  noticed  the  little  Scotchman  about  the 
place  who  seemed  to  usurp  the  title  of  a  "  know 
all."  His  clothing  and  general  appearance  was  not 
that  of  the  starving  vagabond  he  had  met  before. 
So  far  he  had  avoided  this  busybody,  but  on  this 
morning  he  decided  to  make  his  acquaintance  again. 
It  was  his  delight  to  be  noticed,  and  was  at  his  best 
in  forming  new  friendships,  or  acting  as  the  cyno- 
sure of  the  art  or  rest  rooms.  When  a  stranger 
darkened  the  door  he  was  sure  to  be  accosted  by 
Sir  Wilbro,  and  if  nothing  prevented  he  would  be 
led  to  the  bust  of  some  departed  leader.  A  highly 
colored  history  would  be  devolved  upon  the  ears  of 
the  unsophisticated  listener.  An  impression  that  a 
very  intimate  friendship  existed  between  the  de- 
ceased and  the  little  fellow  would  be  left,  and  the 
most  distressing1  feature  of  his  eloquent  discourse 


266       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

was,  it  never  ceased  so  long  as  the  visitor  had  a 
grain  of  patience. 

Cleve  could  never  forget  the  bewildered  astonish- 
ment of  the  Scotchman's  face  the  morning  he  per- 
mitted himself  to  be  interviewed.  He  deliberately 
entered  the  library  about  the  time  he  was  sure  the 
little  fellow  would  be  in  waiting.  Sir  Wilbro  was 
at  his  post  of  duty  and  made  a  dive  to  be  the  first 
to  greet  this  famous  man.  In  his  eager  desire  he 
stumbled  awkwardly  and  floundered  profusely  over 
obstacles  that  made  such  a  noise  that  it  took  Qeve 
some  minutes  to  realize  that  he  was  meeting  Sir 
Wilbro  instead  of  being  incarcerated  in  the  throes 
of  some  mad-house. 

"  I  presume,"  he  began,  "  that  I  have  the  honor 
of  bowing  before  the  greatest  man  of  the  age ! 
Permit  me  to  introduce  myself,  Mr.  Roberts?  I 
am  Mr.  Dockins  —  Sir  Wilbro  Dockins,"  he  ex- 
plained. "  I  was  the  first  propagandist  in  the  little 
city  of  Anderburg,  and  also  the  first  man  to  carry 
the  Harpoon  across  the  Belgium  frontier  into  des- 
potic Russia.  I  was  at  the  death  bed  of  that  great 
philosophical  anarchist,  Count  Tolstoy.  It  was  I 
who  suggested  the  plans  to  the  great  mind  who 
built  this  magnificent  building.  Listen!  I  know 
you  will  ask  me  concerning  this  great  lady ;  I  have 
heard  —  " 

"  You  have  heard  what  ? "  Cleve  demanded, 
growing  embarrassed  because  of  his  familiarity 
with  his  affairs,"  or  that,  perhaps,  he  was  face  to 
face  with  the  shade  of  Cagliostro,  the  recognized 
"  King  of  liars." 

"  She  will  not  appear  as  long  as  you  make  in- 
quiry," he  continued. 


CLEVE  MEETS  SIR  WILBRO  DOCKINS  AGAIN   267 

"If  that  is  true,  my  friend,"  said  Cleve,  "I'll 
make  no  further  effort." 

"  You  are  a  stranger  in  our  midst  and  I  will  ad- 
vise that  you  never  speak  of  her  in  public,"  he  went 
on. 

"  I  will  never  do  so  again,  Mr.  Dockins,"  replied 
Cleve,  thinking  there  might  be  some  truth  in  his 
statement. 

"  The  reason  I  have  not  instructed  you  is  because 
I  have  been  away  on  a  mission  for  the  lady." 

"  Your  errand  ? "  he  asked  more  interested. 
This  little  fellow  seemed  to  be  possessed  with  an 
abnormal  imagination.  Whether  he  believed  him 
without  discount,  Cleve  could  not  determine;  but, 
anyway,  he  might  tell  him  much. 

"  You  are  in  good  standing,"  he  said  after  some 
deliberation,  "  she  and  I  have  been  to  see  the 
Mayor."" 

"  The  Mayor !  "  Cleve  exclaimed,  his  face  twitch- 
ing with  pain.  "  Impossible!  You  lie!  " 

"  Nay,  I  lie  not !  "  refuted  the  little  fellow. 

"  Look  here,  fool !  "  spoke  Cleve  savagely,  clutch- 
ing the  Scotchman's  throat,  "  you  call  me  a  liar 
and  I'll  cut  your  wind  off !  " 

"  Don't  speak  so  disrespectfully  of  our  lady,"  he 
squeaked,  as  Cleve's  fingers  tickled  his  jugular 
vein. 

"What  right  had  she  to  go  there?  Did  she  go 
in  disguise  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Do  you  think  she  would  go  in  any  other  way," 
replied  Sir  Wilbro,  as  Cleve  loosened  his  hold. 
"  This  mission  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  Pit  or 
its  people;  I  can  ease  your  mind  on  that  score." 
He  spoke  as  if  his  respect  for  him  had  undergone 


268       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

a  toboggan  slide  and  had  reverted  into  cold  indif- 
ference. Cleve  noticed  that  he  assumed  more  in- 
telligence and  less  bombast  as  he  proceeded :  "  I 
would  rather  have  suffered  my  right  hand  to  be 
severed  than  to  have  told  you  this." 

Cleve  grew  sympathetic :  "  I  give  you  my  word, 
Sir  Wilbro,  this  shall  be  confidential." 

The  Scotchman  grasped  his  hand  reverently  and 
thanked  him  in  his  peculiar  way,  saying :  "  I  re- 
gard you  highly  and  wish  to  ingratiate  myself  by 
showing  my  intimacy  with  the  great  lady/' 

"  I  am  very  ignorant  of  the  philosophy  taught  by 
this  young  lady/'  Cleve  returned ;  "  I  consider  my- 
self fortunate  in  securing  the  acquaintance  of  one 
so  near  her." 

Sir  Wilbro  bowed  a  complete  captive  to  Cleve's 
flattery,  feeling  as  though  he  had  found  one,  at 
least,  who  could  appreciate  his  own  greatness. 

"  Do  you  know,"  he  began,  "  some  people  can't 
conceive  my  importance.  They  can't  distinguish 
me  from  an  attendant.  My  contemporaries  envy 
me;  they  realize  their  inferiority.  Anthropologic- 
ally they  are  failures,  because  their  ancestors  had 
no  brains  to  transmit.  Consequently,  according  to 
Ethnology  it  will  take  generations  to  produce  off- 
springs who  can  understand  my  intelligence." 

Cleve  smiled  at  such  wonderful  display  of  ego- 
tism. "  Accordingly,  my  dear  sir,  you  are  an  indi- 
vidualist, but  you  shouldn't  be  so  severe  on  your 
poorly  endowed  brother.  If  I  understand  your 
philosophy,  it  is  to  teach  your  insignificant  fellow- 
man." 

"  That  is  the  principle,  Mr.  Roberts,  but  it  is  use- 
less; by  nature  they  are  unfit,  and  by  environment 


CLEVE  MEETS  SIR  WILBRO  DOCKINS  AGAIN   269 

they  are  only  creatures  of  circumstance.  Why,  as 
I  associate  with  the  great  mind  these  creatures  sink 
back  into  the  dark  abyss  that  awaits  them." 

"The  'survival  of  the  fittest,"'  said  Cleve. 
"  Why  you  stay  in  this  atmosphere  is  beyond  me. 
However,  I  am  one  of  your  creatures  who  have  not 
seen  the  light;  you  can  always  regard  me  as  one 
of  your  most  willing  and  respectful  pupils." 

The  Scotchman's  skull  could  hardly  hold  Cleve's 
gush;  think  of  this  man  recognizing  his  influence 
and  wishing  to  be  his  pupil.  This  substantiated  his 
dream  —  the  dream  of  his  life !  He  would  yet 
demonstrate  to  the  world  his  superiority.  This  was 
positive  proof. 

"Mr.  Roberts,"  said  Sir  Wilbro,  "I  have  a 
secret  which  I  will  tell  you,  and  will  be  further 
proof  of  my  greatness." 

"  I  would  be  glad  to  know  it,"  returned  Cleve. 

"  It  was  I  who  manned  the  mysterious  craft  that 
destroyed  the  Hotel  Marion  and  caused  the  court 
to  render  a  verdict  of  '  not  guilty '  at  your  trial." 

"  You ! " 

"  Yes,  it  was  I." 

"  Does  Humanity  know  this  ?  " 

"  She  does ;  it  was  her  own  craft  I  sailed.  It 
was  taken  out  of  this  very  building  the  early  dawn 
of  the  day  of  the  trial,  and  the  moment  the  Daily 
announced  the  case  had  begun,  we  shot  into  the 
city  and  dropped  a  few  bombs.  If  you  doubt  me," 
he  said  looking  toward  to  the  door,  "  here  comes 
the  Great  Mind  herself.  You  can  ask  her." 

He  saw  her  coming  into  the  room.  She  had  not 
as  yet  seen  them  as  she  swept  gracefully  into  the 
library. 


270      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

His  heart  pumped  the  red  blood  faster,  and  at 
the  same  instant  the  organ  of  life  appeared  to  be  in 
his  throat.  His  face  was  the  shade  of  a  rainbow 
and  he  began  to  tingle  from  head  to  foot.  The 
very  atmosphere  about  him  was  charged  with  some 
invisible  force.  It  vibrated  through  his  body,  in- 
toxicating his  brain.  The  feeling  was  ephemeral. 
His  bravery  forsook  him  and  he  leaned  heavily  on 
the  marble  railing  around  the  statue  where  he  and 
the  Scotchman  had  stopped  to  talk. 

At  length  he  found  courage  to  speak  and  he 
wondered  if  the  little  fellow  had  noticed  anything 
unusual  about  him.  He  was  either  too  well  bred, 
or  else  he  was  not  cognizant  of  the  situation.  "  I'll 
take  your  word  for  it,  and  about  her  visit  to  the 
Mayor  I  will  not  speak,"  said  Cleve,  "  and  I  would 
like  to  expect  of  you  the  same." 

Sir  Wilbro  nodded  his  assurance  and  moved 
away. 

Cleve  made  no  sign  or  effort  to  reply,  but  his 
eyes  were  glued  to  the  girlish  form  before  him. 


CHAPTER   XXXI 

HE   WORSHIPS   AT    HER   SHRINE 

CLEVE,  for  the  moment,  drunk  the  nectar  of  the 
situation,  debating  whether  to  approach  her.  He 
felt  the  timid  unequalness  to  the  occasion.  His 
nerve  had  left  him  just  when  he  needed  it  most  of 
all.  He  did  not  feel  natural;  he  still  experienced 
a  sense  of  weakness.  It  made  him  self-conscious 
and  he  imagined  that  he  must  appear  awkward  in 
her  sight. 

Yea !  he  longed  to  feel  like  he  would  feel  in  the 
presence  of  any  other  woman.  The  more  he 
labored  to  gain  this  point  of  ease,  the  deeper  he 
was  aware  of  his  humiliation.  To  be  self-possessed 
was  a  great  accomplishment  and  meant  points  in 
his  favor. 

Was  it  proper  to  force  his  presence  when  she  had 
undoubtedly  avoided  him?  To  think  of  being  her 
companion  was  incompatible  —  he  was  so  incon- 
spicuous and  inconsequential  —  that  her  cleverness 
eclipsed  him  whenever  they  met. 

That  she  was  high  was  self-evident.  If  there 
were  such  a  thing  as  rising  to  her  standard  of  liv- 
ing and  thinking,  he,  in  the  person  of  John  Roberts 
would  do  it.  As  Cleve  Clevendor,  he  was  the  arch- 
enemy. So  in  incognito  he  came;  it  was  the  only 


272      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

way.  In  masquerade  it  was  true,  but  he  was  not 
ashamed. 

He  could  see  the  askant  face,  the  beautiful  pro- 
file, and  the  velvet-like  condition  of  her  skin.  The 
dark  auburn  curls  smothered  her  ears  and  fell  in 
clusters.  A  taint  of  pink  flushed  her  cheeks,  and 
she  became  even  more  radiant  as  she  continued  the 
search  for  some  recalcitrant  volume. 

Her  superb  figure,  so  symmetrical,  was  gowned 
in  a  tastily  light  rose  color  of  empire  princess  vari- 
ety. He  thrilled;  no  wonder  he  dared  to  venture. 
As  yet  she  had  not  seen  him  and  had  not  seen  his 
eager  look.  Summoning  courage  with  a  resolve  he 
walked  towards  her.  No  visitors  were  around  to 
witness  a  rebuff  if  he  should  meet  one;  then,  too, 
"  faint  heart  never  won  fair  lady."  This  saying 
was  rather  prosaic  but  it  stimulated  his  mind  as  it 
wavered  between  two  opinions. 

"  Beg  pardon !  "  he  said.  "  Can  I  help  you  in 
any  way  ?  "  He  hardly  recognized  his  voice  as  his 
own. 

His  offer  of  assistance  occasioned  no  reply.  He 
saw  the  pink  in  her  cheeks  deepen,  and  a  queer 
feeling  stealing,  which  he  liked  and  disliked,  in 
quick  succession,  the  two  sensations  that  were  bat- 
tling for  supremacy  within. 

"  How  you  startled  me !  "  came  her  sweet  even 
modulated  tones. 

"  I  hope  my  intrusion  is  not  misunderstood,"  he 
continued.  "  You  appeared  to  be  searching  for  a 
lost  book;  please  don't  refuse  my  offer  of  help." 

"  And  all  this  time  without  offering  your  aid  ?  " 
she  asked,  her  face  still  turned  from  him. 

"  I  saw  no  serious  exhibition  of  distress,"  he  jus- 


HE    WORSHIPS   AT    HER    SHRINE  273 

tified.  "  Only  now  and  then  a  flutter  of  a  vexed 
expression." 

She  turned  her  face  to  give  a  look  of  reproof. 

"  I  mean  —  I  saw  no  signal/'  he  stoutly  main- 
tained, "  one  that  would  justify  an  advance.  If 
my  volunteered  assistance  is  not  welcome  —  is  mis- 
understood —  I  pray  you  to  accept  my  earnest  sup- 
plication. I  promise  to  never  trespass  the  private 
sanctuary  of  your  most  high  presence  again.  No! 
Never ! " 

"  Your  multitude  of  words,  Mr.  Roberts,"  she 
answered,  softening  in  her  attitude,  "  are  unhar- 
monious  in  an  applicable  justification  of  the  situa- 
tion. Your  profuse  apologies  are  incompatible  with 
the  fairness  of  the  case.  I  am  more  concerned  by 
your  present  actions  than  by  your  former.  Your 
self-depreciation  grieves  me.  I  want  it  understood 
that  I  hold  no  position  of  loftiness.  I  live  by  the 
same  irresistible  compulsions  that  give  all  mortals 
life.  I  eat  the  same  food  and  drink  the  same  water. 
You  have  the  same  blood  and  brain ;  the  same  fluid 
to  build  and  replenish  the  worn  parts  of  this  human 
machine.  When  I  have  consumed  this  electrical 
substance  —  life  !  —  I  simply  die.  The  only  dif- 
ference between  us  is,  I  had  the  desire,  the  oppor- 
tunity and  the  courage  with  it.  I  eat  no  ambrosia ; 
it  was  not  the  meat  that  Caesar  ate  that  made  him 
great,  as  the  Roman  senators  thought,  it  was  his 
taking  advantage  of  his  opportunities,  that  was  all." 

While  the  echo  of  these  words  died  away,  she 
vanished  through  the  door  by  which  she  had  en- 
tered the  chamber,  leaving  him  to  gaze  after  her, 
amazed  and  bewildered. 


CHAPTER    XXXII 

CLEVE   BOOMED    FOR    U.    S.    SENATOR 

IN  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  when  Cleve 
entered  the  library  he  found  Humanity  there  again 
still  looking  for  the  tardy  volume. 

She  was  dressed  in  an  evening  gown  and  the 
luxuriant  curls  almost  hid  the  pink  flush  of  her 
face,  the  color  of  face  and  arms  harmonized  per- 
fectly with  the  dress  she  wore.  She  was  indeed 
more  beautiful  than  ever  to  him,  he  thought,  as  she 
drew  herself  to  her  full  height  in  reaching  for  that 
book  which  was  reclining  peacefully  on  the  top 
shelf  of  the  bookcase.  "  My !  if  he  could  only 
change  places  with  the  volume,"  he  mused,  "  he 
would  surely  fall  at  the  first  solicitation  of  those 
ivory  arms.  Yea !  life  would  then  be  worth  liv- 
ing; he  liked  the  thrill  again;  the  sensation  again, 
and  he  had  been  amply  paid  for  the  journey  here. 

"  Why  return  to  the  Clouds  ? "  he  asked  him- 
self; "to  return  meant  to  forfeit  what  he  had  al- 
ready gained.  And,  furthermore,  there  was  noth- 
ing now  left  for  him  there ;  Marion  had  betrayed 
his  trust  or  had  thought  him  dead  in  the  course  she 
had  pursued.  But  she  had  married  too  soon ! " 

"  No,  he  would  not  go  back ;  he  was  now  happy 
—  even  happier  than  he  had  been  in  all  his  life.  He 


CLEVE  BOOMED  FOR  U.  S.  SENATOR      275 

was  now  contented  as  plain  John  Roberts.  And 
furthermore  he  may  soon  have  grave  difficulty  in 
re-establishing-  his  identity." 

He  knew  the  aid  that  Norton  had  at  his  com- 
mand ;  knew  that  he  would  use  it  to  the  bitter  end. 
He  could  never  prove  himself  against  the  forces  of 
this  crafty  financier.  Norton  was  now  the  monarch 
of  wealth  made  so  by  his  father's  will;  and  to  try 
to  prove  that  he  was  the  lawful  heir  meant  either 
death  or  the  insane  asylum. 

He  could  see  "  gunmen  "  on  every  corner,  and 
death  to  the  "  squealer "  or  "  trouble-maker "  in 
this  desperate  method  for  gains.  The  "  gangsters  " 
in  every  clime  and  the  murder  car  ever  ready  to 
pursue  to  extermination  those  who  reveal  informa- 
tion implicating  the  "higher  ups." 

He  realized  that  he  was  helpless;  he  looked  at 
the  girlish  figure  who  had  not  as  yet  discovered 
him.  Yes,  he  had  given  it  all  to  be  near  her,  and 
she  was  more  than  worth  the  price.  He  had  fol- 
lowed the  cravings  of  his  half-starved  heart.  He 
had  only  half  dreamed  it  before;  now  it  came  like 
a  glorious  revelation. 

Was  it  madness  that  crazed  him  to  crush  the 
sylphic  form  in  his  arms!  Or  was  it  just  a  plain 
understanding  that  he  needed  the  substance  that  he 
had  always  been  deprived  ?  He  did  not  know ;  but 
one  thing,  she  was  the  consummation  of  all  his  joys. 

He  felt  like  rushing  to  her  and  falling  on  his 
knees  and  making  a  clean  breast  of  it  all ;  but  what 
right  had  he  to  do  so?  Had  she  not  spurned  him? 
Surely,  there  was  some  reason  that  would  excuse 
his  action!  She  loved  all  the  world  but  no  indi- 
vidual. To  force  his  attentions  was  selfishness. 


276       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

What  could  he  do?  To  be  near  her  without  speak- 
ing his  mind  was  unbearable. 

He  must  go  away!  He  decided,  at  all  hazards, 
he  must  try  to  prove  he  was  not  John  Roberts.  He 
was  living  a  bold  lie.  His  conscience  was  stinging 
him;  he  was  not  in  sympathy  with  the  Pit.  He 
had  nothing  in  common  with  It ;  his  errand  was  not 
a  sociological  research,  but  a  mission  of  love.  Hu- 
manity was  the  magnet  that  had  drawn  him,  and 
this  she  would  not  be  long  discovering. 

He  approached  her  with  this  intention. 

"  Good  evening,  Mr.  Roberts,"  she  greeted  him, 
before  he  had  time  to  speak,  still  hunting  for  the 
pesky  missing  book,  without  looking  at  him.  "  I 
am  so  glad  to  see  you." 

"  How  did  you  know  it  was  I  ?  "  he  asked  trem- 
bling. 

"  I  felt  your  thought  waves,"  she  answered,  con- 
tinuing her  quest. 

A  look  of  hopelessness  passed  over  his  face  in- 
dicative of  his  battle  at  self-control. 

"  Don't  feel  so  blue  over  it,"  she  sallied. 
"  Cheer  up  and  remember  about  that  '  faint  heart 
and  fair  lady '  business." 

"  But  you  are  no  lady,"  he  returned. 

"  What !  "  she  asked  with  some  warmth,  but  ap- 
parently more  interested  in  her  pursuit. 

"  No  —  no  —  no  —  Not  that.  You  are  more 
than  a  lady,"  he  stammered.  "  Tell  me  why  you 
always  keep  your  face  turned  from  me  ?  " 

"  Because,  you  goose,  it's  a  woman's  privilege." 

This  joy  of  encouragement  quivered  his  frame. 
He  knew  love  and  disdain  authorized  a  woman  this 


CLEVE  BOOMED  FOR  U.  S.  SENATOR      277 

right.  He  was  excited  and  began :  "  Humanity  — 
Humanity,  do  you  mean  it  ?  Do  you  mean  it  ?  " 

She  was  silent;  her  face  was  still  turned  away. 
"  Look  at  me !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  I  am  afraid  of  you,"  she  murmured.  "  You 
are  not  John  Roberts  —  you  dare  not  think  of  your 
real  —  you  make  me  feel  different  —  I  even  forget 
the  cause  when  you  come  near.  I  felt  you  watch- 
ing me  and  your  strange  force.  Man!  you  have 
made  me  forget  and  you  have  a  queer  power  which 
you  are  unable  as  yet  to  use." 

He  started  to  touch  her  hand  when  she  cried: 
"Don't,  Mr.  Roberts,  can't  you  see  I  am  almost 
upset?" 

Humanity,  can't  you  see  I  love  you  ?  " 

"  I  know  it  —  do  you  think  I  am  blind  ?  "  she 
asked. 

"  Humanity,  do  you  —  ?  "  he  faltered ;  his  words 
failed  him. 

"  Why,  yes,  I  certainly  do,"  she  said,  her  face 
flushed  and  beaming  with  smiles,  "  I  love  all  man- 
kind." 

"That's  not  it,"  he  returned  half  angrily.  "I 
mean  don't  you  love  me  enough  to  quit  this  busi- 
ness?" 

"  No,"  she  answered,  speaking  slowly,  "  my  love 
for  you  is  only  platonic  while  yours  has  a  different 
meaning.  It  means  marriage !  A  life  of  devotion 
within  the  narrow  family  circle,  while  the  cause  of 
the  Pit  extends  to  the  end  of  the  earth." 

"  Then,  I  can't  stay ;  I  must  leave ;  it  was  my 
intention  to  go  without  telling  you  of  my  love.  It 
was  the  departure  I  came  to  discuss." 

"  No,  no,  you  must  not  go !  "  she  replied  sadly. 


278       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

"  You  must  stay ;  you  must  give  your  life  and 
service  to  the  cause.  Your  going  would  make  me 
lonesome,  and  I  cannot  give  you  up !  " 

"  Humanity !  "  he  cried.    "  Do  you  mean  it?  " 

"  Yes,  I  mean  exactly  what  I  have  said.  Your 
going  would  make  me  very  lonesome,  because  of 
your  likeness  to  the  only  man  I  ever  loved.  Your 
ways,  your  manner,  your  hands  and  your  eyes  are 
his.  I  could  love  you  if  you  had  his  hair  and  would 
shave  your  beard." 

She  had  virtually  said  she  loved  him,  but  he  sud- 
denly remembered  her  visit  to  the  Mayor.  He  had 
defended  her ;  she  had  dined  with  him !  Was  she 
true  ?  A  second  Marion  !  "  One  question  on  which 
I  wish  to  be  clear,"  he  asked.  "  How  about  Grey- 
house  ?  Do  you  love  him  ?  " 

She  looked  at  him  in  intent  silence,  then  she 
spoke  slowly :  "  What  makes  you  ask  this,  Mr. 
Roberts?  He's  a  married  man,  you  know;  but, 
now,  since  you  have  asked  me,  I  must  say  that  I 
do.  Both  you  and  Suddroff  and  all  the  Pit  owe 
him  a  debt  of  gratitude." 

"  I  suppose  so,  if  you  want  to  look  at  it  that 
way,"  he  muttered. 

Then  Sir  Wilbro  put  in  an  appearance  and  an- 
nounced two  visitors  to  see  Humanity.  She  turned 
to  Cleve  saying :  "  You  must  go  with  me.  I  feel 
safer  with  you." 

In  the  reception  room  they  found  the  callers  wait- 
ing. "  My  name  is  Norton,"  said  the  male  visitor, 
"  and  this  is  my  daughter,  Mrs.  Greyhouse  (the 
wife  of  our  Mayor).  We  wished  to  see  you,  but 
we  prefer  to  talk  to  you  alone,"  he  continued, 
shooting  a  glance  at  Cleve. 


CLEVE  BOOMED  FOR  U.  S.  SENATOR      279 

"  Mr.  Roberts  is  my  confidential  secretary,  and 
what  you  have  to  say  will  be  regarded  the  same  as 
if  we  were  alone/'  she  replied. 

"  Our  business  concerns  you,  but  if  you  wish  this 
gentleman  to  remain,  I  suppose  he  must,"  he  re- 
turned with  much  emphasis. 

"  He  will,"  spoke  Humanity  not  easily  intim- 
idated by  his  manner  or  the  billions  behind  him. 

"  I  presume  you  are  acquainted  with  my 
daughter's  husband,  Mr.  Greyhouse  ? "  he  began. 

"  Slightly,"  she  replied  ironically. 

"  You  dined  with  him  at  the  hotel  before  it  was 
destroyed  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  assured. 

"  He  defended  you  in  the  trial  and  you  have  been 
to  his  office  several  times  since  ?  " 

"  You  either  have  the  information  or  you  are  a 
wonder  at  guessing,"  she  returned,  eyeing  him 
closely. 

"  Well,  my  daughter  desires  that  you  stop  see- 
ing him." 

"  Certainly,"  she  answered,  "  I  would  do  almost 
anything  to  make  Mr.  Greyhouse  happy." 

"  It  is  not  his  happiness  so  much  as  it  is  my 
daughter's,"  stated  Norton  with  much  gusto.  "  We 
have  come,  my  dear  madam,  to  inform  you  to  dis- 
continue your  flirting  with  him.  He's  a  Presi- 
dential possibility  and  the  family's  reputation  is 
also  at  stake.  We  prefer  that  you  cease,  altogether, 
your  attentions ;  you  know  he  is  a  married  man  and 
you  a  spinstej,  that  is,  I  presume  you  are  single  ?  " 

"  So  far,  sir,  I  am  at  liberty  to  do  as  I  please 
and  have  no  husband  to  protect  or  no  parents  to 
inform  young  ladies  to  cease  their  attentions  to  my 


280      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

better  half.  I  appreciate  your  information  and  am 
glad  of  your  warning  and  will  state  now,  that  I 
am  not  after  your  daughter's  pet.  If  this  is  all 
you  have  to  say,  I  don't  care  to  discuss  it  further; 
good  day.  Come,  Mr.  Roberts,  these  people  pollute 
the  air  we  breathe ; "  with  these  words  they  left, 
leaving  the  Nortons  with  the  polite  Mr.  Dockins 
who  entered  as  they  were  going  out  of  the  room. 

They  returned  to  the  library;  Cleve  liked  the 
place,  because  it  was  here  she  told  him,  indirectly, 
that  she  loved  him.  "  I  have  some  information 
for  you,  Mr.  Roberts,"  she  began,  forgetting  that 
Marion  and  her  father  were  in  the  other  room. 
"  Your  name  is  on  the  party  ballot  for  U.  S.  Sen- 
ator. I  hope  you  will  accept  the  nomination  if  you 
win." 

"  But  —  Miss  —  Humanity,"  he  paused ;  it 
sounded  peculiar  to  call  her  by  such  cognomen. 

She  quickly  came  to  his  rescue.  "  That's  all 
right,  just  call  me  Humanity,  omitting  the  prefix, 
Miss,"  she  requested. 

"  I  don't  think  I  know  enough  about  the  philos- 
ophy," he  objected. 

"  Oh,  yes,  you  do,"  she  urged ;  "  anyway  you  are 
honest,  and  that  is  all  that  is  necessary.  The  Pit 
will  demand  it.  You  will  be  easily  nominated  and 
you  must  make  the  campaign." 

"What  of  Suddroff?"  he  asked. 

"  He's  the  man  we  want  you  to  beat.  In  fact, 
you  are  the  only  one  who  can  do  it.  I  am  afraid 
of  him;  he  is  dangerous  and  if  this  anarchist 
crowd  should  get  hold  of  the  reins  of  Government 
they  would  —  " 


CLEVE  BOOMED  FOR  U.  S.  SENATOR      281 

"  Then  it's  a  question  of  defeating  Suddroff  ?  " 
he  put  in. 

"  Yes,  that's  the  paramount  issue  and  I  beg-  of 
you  to  accept,"  she  pleaded. 

"  I  will,  for  your  sake,"  he  replied. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII 

THE   ELECTION   RETURNS 

CLEVE  had  been  nominated  as  Humanity  pre- 
dicted. He  had  defeated  Suddroff  by  a  handsome 
majority.  To  his  surprise  he  developed  into  a  won- 
derful speaker  and  he  was  in  demand  everywhere. 
This  was  his  first  experience  and  was  as  novel  as  it 
was  real.  He  became  popular  with  the  people  and 
swept  the  country  like  an  avalanche. 

The  Pit  was  making  great  strides  in  all  the  states, 
and  looked  as  though  the  standard  bearer  would 
be  the  first  man  in  the  land.  "  Humanity  was  afraid 
of  this,"  thought  Cleve.  She  was  afraid  that  the 
party  would  win  everything  and  Suddroff  and  his 
bunch  in  control  the  country  would  be  seething  in 
one  bloody  marsh.  She  was  right;  she  was  really 
the  great  woman  of  the  hour.  She  wanted  the 
Pit's  dream  ushered  in  without  blood  or  noise. 

Greyhouse  was  the  standard  bearer  of  the  Clouds, 
in  the  convention  the  steam-roller  had  been  promis- 
cuously used,  and  he  was  nominated  on  the  first 
ballot  with  the  blaring  trumpets  and  much  ado  that 
usually  proclaims  to  the  world  that  a  great  man 
has  come  forward  to  lead  a  great  cause  to  victory. 

The  Mayor,  without  doubt,  was  the  most  formid- 
able leader  the  Clouds  could  put  up.  His  defense 
of  the  three  labor  leaders  in  the  trial  made  him,  in 


THE   ELECTION    RETURNS  283 

a  way,  a  friend  to  the  Pit.  With  a  solid  Cloud 
vote  and  a  sprinkling  of  Pit  support  he  was  most 
sure  to  be  elected. 

Dr.  J.  M.  King,  a  very  strong  man  and  renowned 
writer,  had  been  selected  as  the  Pit's  choice  for 
President.  He  had  been  expelled  from  the  faculty 
of  the  University  of  the  Clouds  as  a  dangerous 
radical ;  and  had  thenceforth  made  his  home  in  the 
Pit  and  had  given  his  talents  to  their  cause. 

All  summer  the  battle  raged  and  Cleve  fought 
for  the  Pit  like  a  veteran.  He  learned  late  in  the 
campaign  that  Newman  had  been  nominated  on  the 
same  ticket  in  the  West  and  was  striking  back  with 
a  vengeance  that  was  sure  to  win.  Newman  was 
making  a  hard  fight,  whether  from  patriotic  mo- 
tives or  from  rancour  against  Norton,  he  did  not 
know.  It  had  been  said  that  the  old  secretary  op- 
posed Norton  when  he  increased  the  prices  of  the 
C.  F.  &  D.'s  products  and  turned  that  philanthropic 
concern  into  an  oppressing  and  thieving  institution. 
This  rich  Nabob  had  discharged  him.  Another 
story  ran  that  he  left  the  service  of  his  own  ac- 
cord, as  soon  as  he  heard  of  Cleve's  death,  and  had 
thrown  himself  with  vim  and  vigor  into  the  cam- 
paign in  order  to  forget  the  ill  fate  of  his  former 
associate.  Cleve  knew  their  cause  had  been  ad- 
vanced but  it  was  not  a  time  to  claim  victory  be- 
fore the  laurels  had  been  safely  stowed  away  and 
they  were  securely  entrenched  behind  the  walls  of 
the  Federal  Government. 

From  the  surface  appearance  the  political  situa- 
tion was  going  to  be  a  momentous  struggle.  Cleve 
was  firm;  he  had  acted  from  no  personal  stand- 
point of  aggrandizement,  but  the  one  absorbing 


284       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

purpose  was  to  please  Humanity,  and  Norton's  vil- 
lainy with  the  C.  F.  &  D.  helped  him  some  in  his 
fight  for  this  purpose. 

At  last  the  dusk  closed  on  the  dawn  of  election; 
it  was  indeed  a  great  day.  They  received  the  re- 
turns in  the  drawing-room  of  the  public  house.  It 
was  evident  that  the  opposing  forces  were  running 
"  neck  and  neck."  Suddroff  was  not  mingling  with 
the  Pitdwellers ;  it  had  been  whispered  that  he  had 
joined  the  Clouds  and  was  doing  some  underhanded 
work  for  them.  Had  he  been  nominated  he  would 
have  been  an  easy  tool  in  the  hands  of  the  interests. 

"  Yes,  the  poor  fellow  has  quit  us  and  has  taken 
his  anarchist  bunch  with  him,"  said  Humanity. 
"  His  underhanded  work  will  no  doubt  defeat  Mr. 
King  and  will  possibly  do  others  some  damage.  I 
am  sorry  we  cannot  make  the  order  a  party  for 
justice,  for  the  fatherhood  of  God,  the  brotherhood 
of  man  everywhere !  That  was  Christ's  mission 
here  on  earth,"  she  reflected. 

The  audience  showed  its  appreciation  of  her  by 
a  ripple  of  applause;  then,  the  voice  of  the  Daily 
Labor  announced  the  returns.  Thus  far  the  Pit 
was  leading  by  a  small  margin.  "  Owing  to  traitors 
in  our  ranks  we  will  not  defeat  the  Clouds'  standard 
bearer.  The  returns  indicate  that  Greyhouse  will 
be  President,  but  our  party  will  have  a  lead  in  the 
Senate  and  an  overwhelming  majority  in  the 
House.  John  Roberts,  the  Mysterious  Knight,  has 
won  by  a  safe  margin ;  he  will  defeat  Senator  Daw- 
son  by  a  squeeze.  Another  glorious  victory,  dear 
people,  is  reported  from  the  West ;  Mr.  Newman, 
the  old  attorney  for  the  C.  &  N.  Co.  and  former 
secretary  of  the  C.  F.  &  D.  Co.,  has  been  elected 


THE    ELECTION    RETURNS  285 

to  the  Senate  on  the  Pit's  ticket.  He  has  always 
been  a  Pitdweller  in  principle,  but  did  not  break 
away  from  the  ranks  of  the  '  strong  arm  squad ' 
until  he  heard  of  the  cremation  of  his  old  friend 
and  business  associate,  Clevendor  II." 

Cleve  could  not  withstand  the  good  news;  he 
cheered  the  voice  and  his  sudden  outbreak  startled 
the  small  assembly.  Humanity  looked  at  him  in 
puzzled  surprise.  "  By  Newman's  victory,"  he 
hastened  to  explain,  "  it  means  that  the  Government 
will  take  over  the  C.  F.  &  D.  Co." 

The  voice  continued :  "  We  owe  our  defeat  in 
the  Presidential  race  to  Suddroff  and  his  band  of 
political  grafters,  who  stabbed  us  in  the  back. 
With  them  it  is  rule  or  ruin." 

The  Daily  had  about  stated  the  facts  in  the  case, 
but  the  crowd  sat  up  late  watching  for  any  change 
that  might  occur  in  the  districts  yet  to  report. 

"  Your  success  makes  me  so  happy,"  said  Hu- 
manity to  Cleve.  "  I  can  hardly  restrain  my  feel- 
ings." 

"  Be  careful,"  he  muttered.  "  You  once  told  me 
that  you  loved  a  man  who  had  passed  into  the  great 
beyond.  Don't  arouse  me  again.  I  have  tried  to 
forget ;  you  could  never  love  John  Roberts.  While 
he  is  a  good  man  in  many  ways  he  is  not  the  kind 
you  could  love." 

Humanity  blushed  at  this  reminder;  her  features 
were  more  beautiful.  She  turned  to  her  companion 
saying :  "  Don't  you  think  Mr.  Roberts  one  of  the 
grandest  of  men?  Let  me  introduce  you." 

Cleve  looked  to  see  who  could  be  the  object  of 
her  remarks.  He  had  an  inkling  of  Humanity's 
beautiful  associate  from  stray  conversation  over- 


286       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

heard  in  the  rest  and  art  rooms.  He  was  inter- 
ested in  no  one  in  particular  but  Humanity  and  it 
had  never  dawned  upon  him  that  the  lady  com- 
panion was  an  old  acquaintance  of  former  days. 
He  was  dumbfounded  when  Humanity  said :  "  Let 
me  present  to  you  Miss  Jackson." 

"  I  am  glad  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Roberts,"  Nell  re- 
turned. "  I  have  heard  much  of  you,  and  I  have 
been  informed  that  you,  like  the  most  of  us,  were 
once  upon  a  time  a  Clouddweller." 

"  Yes/'  he  said,  "  and  I  congratulate  Humanity 
in  securing  such  a  refined  and  intelligent  lady  as 
her  companion.  Really,  I  feel  a  personal  interest 
in  you  already." 

"  Miss  Jackson  is  not  receiving  the  company  of 
men  whom  she  has  known  for  only  a  few  mo- 
ments," said  Humanity. 

"  But  you  will  stand  sponsor  for  me  ?  "  he  asked, 
with  a  mischievous  smile  flickering  across  his 
bearded  countenance. 

"  No ;  I  would  not  recommend  you,"  spoke  Hu- 
manity quickly. 

"  And  besides  a  stronger  title  than  a  U.  S.  Sen- 
ator appeals  to  me,"  interrupted  Nell. 

He  wondered  if  she  still  heard  from  the  Lord 
or  if  she  were  only  jesting.  "  I  presume  it's  a  lord 
that  summers  in  the  south  ?  "  he  ventured. 

She  shot  a  deep  direct  look  at  him :  "  You're  a 
wit,  and  you  speak  the  name  as  though  you  might 
be  intimate  with  him." 

Humanity  frowned  her  disapproval,  but  Cleve 
continued :  "  It  was  the  talk  of  the  Clouds  a  few 
months  ago  when  a  Miss  Nell  Jackson  was  en- 
gaged to  Lord  Summersouth  of  England." 


THE    ELECTION    RETURNS  287 

"  My  God !     Man,  who  are  you  ?  "  she  cried. 

"John  Roberts,"  he  replied  meekly. 

"  I  thought  I  saw ;  I  thought  I  heard  the  voice 
of  an  old  friend.  But  I  guess  not,"  she  explained, 
trying  to  peer  through  the  red  surface  disguise. 

Luckily  his  speech-making  and  open  air  dis- 
courses had  made  his  voice  discordant,  rough  and 
hoarse.  Otherwise,  he  might  have  been  discovered. 

"  You  resemble  an  old  friend  so  much,"  she  con- 
tinued, "  and  if  we  have  never  been  friends  before 
I  am  sure  I  have  seen  you  often." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  he  replied ;  "  but  don't  you  think 
it  time  for  us  to  retire  ?  " 

They  agreed  and  as  Humanity  and  Nell  closed 
their  door,  they  discussed  and  rediscussed  the  iden- 
tity of  the  one  said  to  be  John  Roberts. 


CHAPTER    XXXIV 

THE   SENATORIAL   FIGHT 

AT  last  Cleve  took  his  seat  as  a  Senator  from  the 
Pit.  Between  times  he  had  been  busy  studying 
parliamentary  law  in  order  to  familiarize  himself 
with  the  rules  and  usages  of  the  Senate  chamber. 
Humanity  had  given  him  much  information  which 
would  assist  him  in  holding  his  own  in  the  floor 
encounters. 

He  was  soon  stamped  as  a  leader;  his  initiative 
ability  forged  him  to  the  front.  He  met  Newman 
and  formed  a  "  strong  arm  squad,"  because  the  big 
fight  was  now  on.  The  Pit  having  gained  an  over- 
whelming majority  in  the  House  and  holding  a 
greater  number  by  five  in  the  Upper  House  it  looked 
as  though  legislation  would  be  easy.  The  trouble 
was  to  prevent  a  majority  report  on  the  drafted 
bill  to  create  Government  ownership  of  the  great 
C  F.  &  D.  Co. 

This  Bill  now  had  passed  the  Lower  House  by  a 
handsome  margin,  but  it  promised  to  be  a  Sena- 
torial fight  to  a  finish.  The  most  weighty  and  mo- 
mentous battle  in  the  annals  of  the  American  Con- 
gress was  now  being  waged.  Money  flowed  like 
water ;  if  Pit  Senators  had  been  so  inclined  they 
could  have  secured  enough  to  make  their  home  in 
the  Clouds  forever  afterwards.  But  they  were 


THE    SENATORIAL   FIGHT  289 

made  of  firmer  clay;  money  was  not  their  price. 
They  had  a  higher  ideal.  Their  aim  was  to  make 
their  Government  good.  They  were  patriots  fight- 
ing for  a  more  noble  cause.  Tainted  money  of- 
fered by  the  Clouds  they  shunned  with  contempt. 
The  paramount  question  of  the  hour  was  the  posi- 
tion the  Government  was  about  to  assume. 

The  Bill  had  now  passed  to  the  third  reading  in 
the  Upper  House.  There  was  much  display  of 
oratory  on  both  sides  and  many  cries  of  "  Confis- 
cation! Robbery!  And  you  want  to  use  the  brutal 
power  of  the  majority !  "  The  Pit  Senators  retali- 
ated :  "  Governments  with  Kings  are  good  so  long 
as  the  Kings  are  good !  The  C.  F.  &  D.  Co.  was  a 
good  thing  so  long  as  it  was  a  philanthropic  con- 
cern and  as  long  as  young  Clevendor  owned  it,  but 
the  moment  it  became  an  institution  of  Norton's 
it  was  a  bad  thing  to  exist  in  a  free  Government." 
But  the  Bill  finally  passed  in  the  face  of  all  oppo- 
sition and  was  now  ready  for  the  President's  sig- 
nature. 

The  Clouds  were  elated;  it  had  been  rumored 
that  the  President  would  veto  the  Bill.  Cleve,  it  is 
said,  made  the  most  stunning  and  able  maiden  ad- 
dress that  had  ever  been  delivered  in  the  hall. 
Many  press  reports  stated  that  his  course  would 
be  emulated  by  patriots  of  following  ages.  The 
Bill  was  on  the  desk  of  the  chief  executive;  the 
country  was  wondering.  He  received  tons  of  mail 
pertaining  to  the  measure,  feut  whether  it  influenced 
him  could  not  be  learned,  as  he  was  kept  under 
close  surveillance  by  Norton  and  his  gangsters. 

At  last  the  suspense  was  broken;  the  decision 
came  —  the  President  refuses  to  sign  the  Bill.  The 


290      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

Pit's  Daily  at  Washington  announced:  "That  at 
first  Mr.  Greyhouse  favored  the  Bill,  but  after  re- 
considering, he  could  only  do  the  bidding  of  his 
dominating  father-in-law." 

Newman  was  mad;  the  old  veteran  had  fire  in 
his  eyes.  "  It's  all  off,"  he  said  as  Roberts  ap- 
proached him.  "  We  can't  pass  the  measure  now 
under  four  years  unless  the  Congress  will  force  it 
over  the  veto  by  the  two-thirds  rule,  but  we  can't 
hope  to  gain  that  majority  in  both  houses.  We 
can't  do  it  for  we  are  losing  ground  now.  A  few 
Pit  Senators  are  ready  to  flop  now." 

"  Yes,  that's  the  state  of  affairs  now,"  returned 
Cleve.  "  But  we  must  reintroduce  the  measure 
and  I  will  address  the  joint  body  on  to-morrow." 

"That's  the  course!"  he  exclaimed,  his  face 
brightening. 

"  I  will  address  them  and  I  will  say  something 
that  was  never  heard  on  the  floor  of  that  august 
assembly." 

"  Mr.  Roberts,  I  have  heard  that  voice  before  and 
I  have  seen  those  eyes  before.  There's  something 
in  that  face  that  knows  no  defeat.  Why,  boy  (I 
call  you  boy  because  of  a  dear  young  pal  of  mine) , 
you,  like  him,  are  a  genius.  (He  died  too  soon.) 
And  he  could  have  made  this  country  a  Pitdwellers' 
commonwealth  in  a  day." 

"Thank  you,"  said  Cleve.  "Hear  me  to-mor- 
row and  I  will  give  the  Clouds  a  scare  they  will 
never  forget." 

"  Here's  my  hand,  boy,"  returned  Newman.  "If 
it  can  be  done,  boy,  you  are  the  one  to  do  it  —  for 
it's  coming  —  coming  as  sure  as  fate !  " 


CHAPTER    XXXV 

THE   REVELATION 

EVERY  Congressman  attended  the  joint  session. 
Every  seat  in  the  galleries  were  taken  long  before 
the  House  was  called  to  order.  It  was  learned 
that  the  Blond  Knight  would  pay  his  respects  to 
the  President  and  to  those  who  opposed  the  Bill. 
Norton,  the  President  and  wife  were  in  the  Presi- 
dential balcony.  Marion  was  somewhat  nervous 
and  her  eyes  seemed  to  fasten  on  Cleve  as  he 
mounted  the  Speaker's  stand. 

He  met  her  gaze  unfalteringly ;  she  smiled  and  he 
wondered  if  she  knew  —  knew  that  she  was  once 
his  erstwhile  lover.  Yea!  did  she  recognize  him? 
Surely  she  would  cry  out  soon.  He  now  wore  wigs 
in  place  of  his  dyed  hair  and  beard.  He  took  his 
look  away  from  Marion  and  began  to  look  for 
Humanity. 

Where  was  she?  He  surveyed  the  audience  and 
found  her  so  near  that  he  had  overlooked  her.  She 
nodded  encouragement;  and  as  he  faced  the  gal- 
leries he  discovered  Summersouth  with  Nell.  He 
confronted  the  assembly,  and  knew  that  in  a  few 
moments  the  whole  world  would  be  flashing  the 
news  he  was  about  to  divulge. 

"  Gentlemen  of  both  Houses/'  he  began,  "  I  have 
not  come  here  to-day  to  speak  again  on  this  vetoed 


292      HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

measure  as  many  of  you  think.  The  merits  and 
demerits  have  been  the  subject  of  long  and  tiresome 
debates.  The  Bill  is  a  failure ;  not  because  it  failed 
to  become  a  law,  but  by  the  power  of  veto  vested 
in  your  President/'  (Light  applause.  A  voice, 
"He  did  right!") 

"  Yes,  to  those  of  you  who  think  so,"  he  re- 
turned. "  But,  gentlemen,  I  do  not  wish  to  lower 
the  dignity  of  this  place  by  going  back  two  thou- 
sand years  to  get  my  language  to  let  you  know 
what  I  am  talking  about."  (Laughter  and  cheers.) 

He  looked  at  Norton  and  noticed  the  deep  heavy 
scowl.  "  In  a  short  while,  the  country  would  be  rid 
of  that  monster,"  he  thought.  The  assembly  was 
now  silent.  The  atmosphere  impressed  every  one 
that  something  startling  would  happen.  People  of 
the  galleries  looked  into  each  other's  faces  with 
puzzled  expressions.  Greyhouse  glanced  at  Norton 
and  at  Marion.  She  was  now  an  achromatic  and 
her  eyes  were  glued  on  the  speaker.  With  all  the 
venom  and  hate  he  could  muster  Cleve  looked  at 
Norton  and  began: 

"  Excuse  me,  if  I  apparently  branch  from  my 
subject.  It  may  be  a  deviation,  but  it  yet  deals  in- 
directly with  the  subject.  Some  few  months  ago 
we  were  aroused  by  what  appeared  to  be,  and  which 
was,  the  most  dastardly  attack  upon  a  woman  in 
the  garden  of  the  Hotel  Marion  before  that  place 
was  destroyed.  It  was  declared  that  a  young  Eng- 
lish Lord  made  that  assault,  which  I  will  say  was  a 
black  misrepresentation.  This  couple  are  now  side 
by  side  within  the  confines  of  this  chamber  and 
only  a  few  feet  away !  "  ( Cries  of  "  Outrage ! 
Outrage ! ") 


THE   REVELATION  293 

"  This  goes  to  prove,"  he  continued,  "  the  kind 
of  criminals  who  want  to  rule  this  nation."  He 
glanced  at  Norton  and  all  eyes  followed  in  quick 
succession.  The  monarch  of  wealth  was  colorless; 
he  looked  beseechingly  at  Cleve.  "  Of  course,  dear 
people,  you  do  not  know  that  the  man  who  made 
this  attack  was  the  man  who  had  this  bill  vetoed !  " 
("  Proof!  Proof!  "  greeted  this  sentence.) 

Norton  looked  defiance;  Cleve  could  understand 
his  bluff.  He  almost  felt  sorry  for  him  now,  or 
for  Marion  at  least.  Her  intuition  must  have  told 
her;  she  was  spellbound.  Greyhouse  never  quiv- 
ered a  muscle,  still  maintaining  his  wonderful 
stoical  indifference.  Cleve  looked  at  Newman  and 
received  an  approving  smile;  Humanity  appeared 
as  though  she  was  ready  for  any  change  or  course 
he  might  be  pleased  to  take.  Our  hero  paused, 
surveyed  the  place  in  silence  again ;  the  atmosphere 
was  stifling  with  humidity.  He  now  challenged 
and  defied  the  opposition  in  every  move  of  his  face 
and  in  every  curve  of  his  body.  "  God  knows  I  am 
telling  the  truth !  "  he  shouted,  amid  a  deafened 
roar  of  applause. 

"  There  are  those  of  you  who  came  to  be  enter- 
tained/' he  continued,  "  and  I  hope  you  shall  not 
be  disappointed.  My  friends,  I  have  not  the  vocab- 
ulary to  express  my  aversion ;  neither  have  I  a 
word  that  will  express  my  dislike  for  certain  Cloud 
leaders."  (Wild  applause  mingled  with  a  few 
hisses.) 

"Hiss,  you  slimy  vampires,"  (Laughter),  "you 
carnivorous  cannibals!  You  revel  in  your  Cloud- 
dweller  rights  and  wallow  in  the  bins  of  authority; 
but  I  say  the  people  should  own  and  will  own  the 


294       HUMANITY    AND    THE    MYSTERIOUS    KNIGHT 

C.  F.  &  D.  Co.,  and  the  C.  &  N.  Corporation  will 
soon  follow."  (Applause  from  the  Pit  section  and 
cries  of  "  Confiscation "  from  the  Clouds.  The 
chamber  was  in  an  uproar.) 

"  You  cry  '  Confiscation ! '  '  yelled  Cleve  above 
the  bawls  and  squalls  of  the  tumult.  "  No  confisca- 
tion !  I  give  the  Consolidated  Farm  &  Development 
Company  to  —  "  ( Many  calls  of  "  Throw  him  out ! 
—  throw  him  out !  ")  "  You  Clouddweller  cowards 
are  glued  too  tight  to  your  seats  to  throw  me  out !  " 
he  yelled  vehemently.  "  Go  on  !  go  on  !  "  bellowed 
the  galleries. 

"  Now  I  will  give  the  C. —  (Tumultuous  ex- 
citement and  loud  cries  from  the  Cloud  section : 
"  The  man's  crazy  —  He's  demented !  Throw  him 
out!") 

"  Not  crazy  —  but  sane !  "  he  shot  back,  and  I 
give  the  C.  F.  &  D.  Co.  to  the  people !  " 

"Who  are  you?"  shrilled  a  voice  above  the  dis- 
orderly throng.  "  Is  your  name  John  Roberts  ?  " 

"No!  I  am  not  John  Roberts!  — Pit  Senator 
and  Soi-disant  Sociologist,  but  Cleve  Clevendor! 
The  only  son  and  rightful  heir  to  the  Clevendor 
estate !  "  he  cried,  pulling  away  his  mask  and  throw- 
ing his  disguise  out  over  the  startled  heads  of  Leg- 
islators, amid  wild  and  vociferous  cheering, 

"  Proof !  Proof !  "  he  heard  from  a  deep  sono- 
rous voice  in  the  Presidential  party.  Norton  had 
risen  and  was  gesticulating  wildly.  "  It's  Cleve ! 
It's  Cleve !  "  screamed  Marion  —  her  eyes  sent  her 
suffering  soul  to  him. 

"  Your  daughter  can  ease  your  mind  on  that 
score ;  she  can  testify  in  my  behalf,"  Cleve  re- 


THE   REVELATION  295 

turned,  shooting  a  parting  glance  at  the  burly 
figure. 

The  joint  session  was  in  an  uproar;  pande- 
monium reigned.  A  woman,  flushed  with  excite- 
ment, her  face  covered  with  tearful  smiles,  came 
bounding  down  the  aisle  and  into  his  arms. 

"  Humanity,"  he  exclaimed,  "  who  are  you  ?  " 

"  Why,  I  am  Genevieve  Greyhouse  —  a  sister  to 
the  President,"  she  replied  sweetly.  "  But  —  I 
have  no  name  now,  and  as  you  have  been  so  gen- 
erous to  give  the  Government  back  to  the  people, 
you  ought  to  give  me  your  name." 

"  I  will,"  he  cried.  "  It's  the  one  thing  I  have 
desired.  It  has  been  the  source  of  my  existence 
and  the  goal  of  my  ambition !  " 

He  clasped  her  in  his  arms,  walked  to  the  edge 
of  the  rostrum  and  waited  for  silence.  "  Friends," 
he  said,  "  you  owe  it  all  to  this  unselfish  girl  and 
the  future  Mrs.  Cleve  Clevendor !  " 


THE   END. 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

RENEWALS  ONLY—TEL.  NO.  642-3405 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 

b  ject  to  immediate  recall. 


f*l 
•• 


^ou>   -_ 

SENT  ON  ILL 

FF8  2  7  1995 

U.  C.  BERKELEY 

LD21A-60m-3,'70 
(N5382slO)476-A-32 


General  Library 

University  of  California 

Berkeley 


YC  08245' 


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